


Distorted Destiny

by the_eye_of_the_panda



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, High School, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 91,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_eye_of_the_panda/pseuds/the_eye_of_the_panda
Summary: There is no such thing as destiny. At least, that’s what Videl keeps telling herself as she does whatever she can to stop what appears to be her destiny from becoming a reality. There was no way she was ever marrying Son Gohan! No matter what.
Relationships: Videl Satan/Son Gohan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 20





	1. Her Worst Nightmare

Chapter One 

_ Her Worst Nightmare  _

* * *

This was his third time in the city, and this was the third time Gohan had had to step in, turning Super Saiyan to hide his identity, and stop a crime in progress – and he hadn’t even started his first day of class yet! But here he was. Three for three. What was wrong with this city?

He exhaled softly as he arranged his satchel, glancing at the street in front of the bank over his shoulder. Five robbers lay unconscious or groaning in pain, their getaway jeep turned over and fuming. The police officers were still idle, looking around in confusion and disbelief. From his experience with the previous two bouts of heroism, he figured it was probably going to take them some time to get their bearings and arrest the disabled law-breakers, but Gohan wasn’t worried. Those guys would be out for a while. The important thing was that everyone was safe now.

Well, nobody seemed to pay attention to him and he was already running late for school. Better hurry up if he didn’t want to get in trouble on his first day.

And then Gohan almost jumped out of his skin. Standing behind him, a girl addressed him and for a millisecond the boy panicked, fearing that she’d seen him go from golden blond to jet-black hair when he dropped out of his Super Saiyan transformation.

“Did you see what happ…?” she started asking, but her voice trailed off when he turned around. 

Her jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide, her face turning a sickly white color. She took a step back, her hand rising to her mouth.

“No way…” she whispered, taking another step back, gawking at him like she was seeing a ghost.

His fingers tightened around the strap of his satchel and his forehead creased in confusion. What had he done to earn this kind of reaction? Gohan was positive that he had never seen this girl before. He detailed her features, his brow furrowing further as he searched his memory for any trace of the girl.

She was petite and short, just reaching his shoulders, and she looked about his age. Thick, wavy raven hair tied down in pigtails were framing a fair-skinned, heart-shaped face. Deep blue eyes – still staring at him in horror. No, Gohan didn’t have a single doubt: he could assert with absolute certainty that he had never seen this girl before in his life.

Although… Glancing at her clothing, she was clearly wearing an Orange Star High School badge on her baggy white shirt. Could it be that she had seen him when he went to the school to take his entrance exams or when he finalized his registration? 

But that wouldn’t explain why the mere sight of him seemed to all but petrify her.

He took a tentative step forward, mustering his most gentle voice as he asked, “Are you okay?”

Her eyes seemed to grow even bigger at the sound of his voice and her throat made a strangling sound. In what Gohan could only describe as utter panic, the girl swiftly turned on her heels and sprinted down the street.

* * *

Her feet drummed on the pavement as they propelled her forward. Every breath she took felt like fire in her throat, but Videl couldn’t stop running. She had to keep going. She had to put more distance between her and the crime scene. She had to get away from that boy.

She bumped into someone and her speed was such that it made the man tumble back and almost fall over.

“Sorry!” she apologized quickly, notes of panic distorting her voice.

People were looking at her. Maybe some even recognized her. Videl took a sharp breath and her eyes darted about; she took off running again and turned a corner, coming upon a deserted alley where she skidded to a stop. Leaning back against the side of the building, she raised her head and closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath.

This couldn’t be happening. That boy wasn’t supposed to exist. He was just a figment of her imagination, an apparition in her subconscious. He wasn’t real. He couldn’t be.

Her trembling knees gave out and Videl let herself slide down the wall unto the ground. She ran a shaky hand over her face, leaving it against her mouth as her eyes unfocused, her mind reeling.

How could it be possible? How could she have had dreams about someone before even meeting him? Those unpleasant dreams… Could they actually be visions of her future?

Outrage made her blood boil. Getting to her feet, Videl gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

No way. There was absolutely no way  _ that  _ was how she ended up. A housewife? Seriously?  _ No freaking way! _

And if it was only that! Her dreams, or visions, depicted her as a woman whose sole purpose in life was to be a doting wife and a good mother – as though these roles were the only things that characterized her!

But, as troubling and nonsensical as these dreams were, Videl hadn’t let them get to her. They were just stupid dreams. They didn’t mean anything.

They weren’t supposed to mean anything.

And yet… She had just crossed paths with the boy who, according to those damned dreams, would become her husband. He was younger, of course, but it was him all the same. He had the same gentle, coal eyes, the same black, spiky hair – though he didn’t have that lone lock curving over his brow in her visions. He had the same face, only a few years younger, his traits boyish – and, yes, handsome; she couldn’t deny it. And he even had the same voice she remembered from her dreams.

Her throat tightened, and Videl swallowed, the color draining from her face. It couldn’t be real, could it? It wasn’t actually going to come true, was it? This was crazy. These kinds of things didn’t happen. There had to be a logical explanation. What if she’d seen that boy before, maybe in passing, and her subconscious used that random memory to conjure a husband for her?

Videl bit her lip, looking to the side. As much as she wanted to believe this as a possibility, she knew in her gut that this wasn’t it.

If it were, how could she know his name when he never got the chance to tell her?

* * *

Her backpack bounced uncomfortably against her back as she ran along the empty hallways. She was glad nobody was around; Videl was in no mood for chitchats this morning.

Her expression soured as she mentally shooed away the parasitic thoughts polluting her head – the reason why she was late for school this morning – and focused on the now. She needed to hurry to class. While her teachers were usually more lenient to her than to her peers because the police often called her for help to fight the high-rated crime in Satan City, Videl didn’t like getting special treatment when she didn’t deserve it. She may have gotten a call from the police this morning, but that wasn’t why she was late. If she hadn’t encountered  _ him _ , she would’ve made it to class on time.

She shook her head swiftly, once again willing these unwanted thoughts away. 

Reaching her classroom, Videl slowed down and stopped briefly at the door before pushing it open and promptly apologizing to the teacher for her tardiness. Her English teacher simply smiled in understanding and told her to get to her seat.

Well, she may not like getting special treatment, but it certainly made things a lot easier. And after the absolute bombshell that exploded in her face earlier, it was a relief that she didn’t have to explain herself – a weight off her shoulders – and, for once, Videl was grateful for that.

Her features relaxed and she looked up, expecting to find her two blond friends in the third row: Erasa would greet her with a cheerful smile as she usually did, and Sharpner would give her a nod and a cocky smirk.

And then her blood ran cold and her lungs stopped working, her breath caught in her throat. The world around her faded away as she was once again confronted with her worst nightmare coming to life.

He was looking right back at her, his perplexed, pitch-black eyes drilling holes into her skull. His brow was furrowed as he observed her silently.

Her teacher gently called her name, a slight note of concern in her tone as she told her again to take her seat so she could resume the lecture.

Videl gave a slight start and heat rushed to her face in embarrassment. She bowed and apologized, before rushing up the steps unto her row. 

Her throat tightened as she found herself standing right beside him – he was sitting next to Erasa, at the end of the row. Wordlessly, he pushed his chair forward to allow her to pass behind him. Willing her heart to calm down, trying as she might not to show her inner turmoil, Videl brushed past him and got to her seat, on the other side of Erasa. Only two seats away from him.

“Good morning,” Erasa greeted her, a broad smile on her face. 

Videl smiled back at her; her gaze unwittingly shifted past her friend and caught his for a brief moment, before the familiar stranger continued taking notes. This seat arrangement certainly wasn’t making things easier for her.

Erasa leaned closer to her and her voice lowered. “That’s Gohan, he just got in our class today. He’s cute, huh?”

A lump rose in her throat. Videl turned away and focused on taking her things out of her backpack, shrugging in response.

His name really was Gohan. Her fingers quivered as she zipped her pencil case open.

This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be true. It just didn’t make any sense. How could she have known his name when she had never seen him before in her life? 

A feeling of dread formed in the pit of her stomach. And if her dreams were right about his name…

Did that mean they would be right about everything else too?

“Were you at the bank robbery this morning?” Sharpner asked her, barely keeping his voice down as he rocked back and forth on his chair with his hands behind his head. “We heard that the Gold Fighter made another appearance. Did you see him?”

The Gold Fighter… A vigilante that seemed to appear out of nowhere and swiftly took care of the criminals crossing his path. Which meant that, counting the bank robbery earlier, this had been his third intervention. Videl’s eyebrows scrunched up in thought. 

It was said that the Gold Fighter had golden-blond hair that spiked up and cold, teal eyes.

Her gaze shifted to the boy with jet-black, spiky hair and coal eyes two seats away. Gohan quickly looked away from her at that moment, his head digging in his shoulders and hiding his face into his open book. 

Golden hair… Teal eyes…

Her eyes grew wide in realization and her breath hitched. One of her dreams suddenly flashed back to her.

_ She was whipping up a snack like the doting wife that she was, humming a cheerful tone to herself. The oven’s alarm went off, signaling that the new batch of brownies was done. Getting the tray out of the oven, Videl smiled proudly at her handiwork, but she didn’t waste any time and put another, pre-made tray inside the oven and adjusted the thermostat and the timer, this time baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies. _

_ A boy around ten or eleven years old walked in the kitchen and he took a long whiff of the chocolate smell in the air. He had coal eyes and jet-black hair that spiked in all directions. _

_“_ _ Oh, man, it smells so good, Videl! I’m so glad you’re a part of the family now,” he said with a broad grin. “My brother’s so lucky to have you!”  _

_ Another boy, this one with olive skin, blue eyes, and fine, lavender hair, strolled in the kitchen like he owned the place. “Did Gohan say when he was gonna be home from work?” he asked, casually reaching for the platter of brownies.  _

_“_ _ He shouldn’t be long now,” Videl replied, glancing at the displayed time on the microwave. She smiled as he took a bite and looked at him expectantly, waiting for his feedback.  _

_ He closed his eyes and sighed in delight. “Hmm… It’s so good!” _

_“_ _ Hey! We’re supposed to wait for Gohan!” Goten objected indignantly, smacking the other boy’s hand before he could take another piece of the brownies. Trunks rolled his eyes. _

_“_ _ Videl made plenty anyway, and Gohan shouldn’t be long.” He reached for the platter again but Goten smacked his hand again.  _

_“_ _ It’s not polite!” he insisted. “We’re waiting for Gohan.” _

_ Trunks scowled at his friend, who took the platter away and scowled right back. “Stop being such a goodie-two-shoes, Goten,” he growled. “It’s just a brownie.” _

_ Videl took a step forward, raising her hands and moving them in a calming motion. “Goten, it’s okay. I did make plenty.” _

_ Trunks reached for the tray again, but Goten raised it over his head, stubbornly set in his decision to wait for his brother first. Trunks glowered at him and tried again, but as he dodged the renewed attempt, Goten didn’t take his surroundings into account and bumped the tray on the suspended kitchen cabinet, resulting in the contents dropping into the sink. _

_“_ _ Look what you’ve done!” they both said at the same time, pointing an accusing finger at one another. _

_ Videl sighed, wiping her hands on her apron. “Well, what’s done is done. There’s no point looking for someone to blame.” _

_ But the boys ignored her, baring their teeth at each other. A shockwave erupted, the kitchen its epicentre, as Goten’s hair turned golden and his eyes teal. Trunks followed suit, undergoing the same transformation. _

_“_ _ This is all your fault!” they yelled at each other, ready to leap at each other’s throat. Videl observed the scene with an apprehensive smile, her hand subconsciously moving to her stomach. While she was used to these kinds of scenes by now, she couldn’t help backing away from the Super Saiyan boys.  _

_ At that moment, a young man in a gray suit seemed to appear out of nowhere, getting between the boys and extending his arms to push them apart. A white aura made his black, spiky hair waft for a second before it faded out. _

_“_ _ Goten, Trunks, that’s enough!” he scolded them, his coal eyes firm behind his thin-framed glasses. “What do you think you’re doing, going Super Saiyan so close to Videl? You could’ve hurt her! And she’s pregnant!” _

_ A look of horror crossed the boys’ faces, and the next moment, they dropped out of the transformation and hung their heads in shame and guilt.  _

_“_ _ Sorry, Gohan,” they mumbled. _

_“_ _ It’s to Videl that you should be apologizing,” he said sternly. As a result, both boys turned to Videl, but they quickly looked down again, too shameful to hold her gaze. _

_“_ _ We’re sorry, Videl.” _

_ She smiled at them, accepting their apology, before turning to her husband. He smiled back at her and walked up to her. She joined him halfway, and he took off his glasses. _

_“_ _ Hey, you,” she said, feeling herself melt at the gentle way he gazed at her. He tipped up her chin and leaned in, and Videl closed her eyes, eagerly puckering her lips. _

She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, stopping the recollection of her dream before it went any further.

“You okay, Videl?” Erasa asked from her right.

“You kinda spaced out for a moment,” Sharpner pointed out, straightening himself on his chair. “And you never answered my question.”

It took her a few seconds to remember what he meant. “Ah. No, I didn’t see him. He was already gone when I got there.”

Or was he? Her gaze shifted to Gohan once more, who was still hiding behind his book. Golden hair, teal eyes, like the boys in her dream, one of whom was Gohan’s little brother. If her dream were indeed visions of her future, if everything that she saw in them was true, or would be true, then logic would dictate that Gohan was the Gold Fighter. He was the one who stopped the robbery this morning.

And he would become her husband.

Turning her head to face the board, Videl narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips tightly, crossing her arms over the desk. Like  _ hell  _ he would! She would  _ never  _ accept that future. Never! She was strong and independent, and she refused to let herself become the bland, weak-willed housewife from her visions. Her stomach twisted and churned at the mere thought, and her expression darkened.

Well, if falling for that boy was what would transform her into that pathetic woman whose highlight of the day was her husband coming home from work, then there was absolutely  _ no way _ that Videl was  _ ever  _ going to let it become a reality. If she had to push back her curiosity about his powers and avoid Gohan at all costs, well, it was a small price to pay to prevent that dreadful nightmare from coming true.

* * *

He hadn’t expected to meet her again so soon, let alone find himself in the same class as her. 

Before she got there, Erasa, the friendly blonde who had invited him to sit on the empty seat next to her, told him that her friend, the girl who usually sat on the other empty seat next to her, was none other than Mr. Satan’s daughter and that her name was Videl. Gohan had been curious as to what kind of person she was and if she was anything like her father.

He was certainly in for a surprise when she turned up, apparently running late. And then, when she looked up and spotted him, he saw the way she froze and paled, once again. He had watched her carefully, trying to figure out why that girl seemed so panicked at the sight of him. But what he could read in her ki was too big of a mess to be of any clue.

He had tensed up when the boy with long blond hair who sat next to Videl three seats from him mentioned the bank robbery and the Gold Fighter. He hadn’t been one hundred percent sure that Videl hadn’t seen him drop out of his Super Saiyan transformation before she approached him.

But she affirmed she didn’t see the Gold Fighter, as people seemed to have named his superhero alter-ego, and Gohan had felt his shoulders relax as he let out a discreet sigh of relief when he heard her reply.

Still, he had no idea what to think of that girl. Her reaction to seeing him this morning just didn’t make any sense. 

Gohan tried approaching her while she was getting her lunchbox from her locker, to try and talk to her about this morning, but he’d barely gotten a word out before Videl slammed her locker door shut, the loud noise making him wince. She threw him a nasty look, before huffing indignantly and strutting away. Gohan blinked after her. 

Erasa bit her lip, looking between him and the retracting form of her friend. 

“I don’t think she likes me,” he said awkwardly, massaging the back of his neck. He smiled at the friendly girl and nodded after Videl. “You should go with her, don’t worry about me.”

But her brow furrowed deeply at his suggestion. “If Videl’s got a problem with you, well, tough! You’re new here and you don’t know anyone, and that was just plain rude of her!”

Sharpner shrugged his shoulders and went after Videl. “Whatever. I’m hungry.”

“You’re coming with us,” Erasa told Gohan, her tone not leaving room for argument. Seeing his hesitation still, she grabbed his forearm and dragged him along with her as she followed her friends.

“I’m not sure this is such a good idea…” he tried nonetheless. “I’m fine having lunch on my own.”

“Don’t be silly, Gohan,” Erasa dismissed the idea. She looked back at him and gave him a smile. “It’ll be fine. Videl has her moods, but she’s great once you get to know her – you’ll see. I’m sure you two will hit it off in no time.”

Gohan scratched the side of his head with his spare hand, letting Erasa lead him to the courtyard where she and her friends usually had lunch together.

It was so confusing. Was he missing something? Surely, there had to be a reason for Videl to react so strongly upon meeting him, right?

* * *

Eying the satisfying scene over the open door of her locker, the red-haired girl smirked to herself.

Everything was going according to plan. Perfect.

To think it had actually _worked_. She had no idea her psychic powers could actually do this kind of thing, but it was a good thing she had been honing her skills since...

Paige’s face darkened as her narrowed eyes focused on the retracting form of the famous crime fighter.

It was all _her_ fault. If it hadn’t been for Videl, her dad would still be alive today. Now he was gone and it was all Videl’s fault.

Well, this served her right. With her powers, Paige had managed to distort Videl’s future to fit some of her worst fears. And it was just in time, too, because she was supposed to meet the boy who would later turn out to be the love of her life this very day. But now? After the dreams Paige had instilled in Videl, there was no way she was ever letting him anywhere near her. She chuckled with vengeance as she looked on.

Paige wondered what those dreams had been about. She had been able to distort Videl’s future to make it look like her dreams were visions of some of her worst fears coming true, but she actually had no idea how that turned out.

She shrugged as she grabbed her lunch from her locker and closed the door before strutting away. Well, no matter. What counted was that now, because of her, Videl was running away from the boy she had been supposed to fall in love with.

And it was all she deserved. Videl had taken away the most important person in _her_ life, so it was only fair that she didn’t get to live happily ever after with the love of her life.

Videl could only blame herself for this. And the new kid, well, too bad for him, but he was simply collateral damage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is! The new story that got me back to writing. ^_^ I had the idea some time ago, and, yes, it’s clearly a jab at DB Super and what they did to my OTP lol. xD
> 
> BECAUSE SUPER DOESN’T EXIST, OK???
> 
> Lol, anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter. Don’t forget to tell me what you think! 😀
> 
> I’d like to thank Mr. Me, Rockstone, sherlockdoge, ie.heretic and Antonia for their help and support during the writing process, and Mr. Chuck for beta reading the chapter. Also, even though they didn’t get around to do it, I’d like to thank Kakarot Son and Darkvoid for offering to beta for me.
> 
> Edit: Thanks Kakarot Son for beta reading the chapter as well. I updated it with the new version. ^^
> 
> And of course, thank you all for your patience, your support, your understanding, and for reading! See you soon! 😀
> 
> March 11, 2020


	2. His Incomprehension

Chapter Two

_His Incomprehension_

* * *

Pushing her locker door shut, Videl heaved a deep sigh, her back hunching in fatigue.

Today had been exhausting – and it didn’t look like the coming days would get any better. _Days? More like, the whole year!_ she corrected herself with a dark scowl.

Why did Erasa just _have_ to include Gohan in _everything_? It was bad enough that she’d made her sit through lunch with the guy right across from her, but the blonde also insisted that Videl choose Gohan on their baseball team in PE because Sharpner refused to take the “nerd” on his. Not only that, but they were in the same class, and because of Erasa, Gohan was only two seats away from her!

Videl had made a point not to look at him all through the day, not even once, not even when he was sitting right in front of her at lunch. Her scowl hadn’t left her face for a second and she had openly glared at Erasa, who had ignored her royally and focused on talking to Gohan and asking about him – which forced _her_ to listen. As if sharing her lunch table wasn’t bad enough!

So, against her will, Videl learned that Gohan lived in Mount Paozu, which happened to be over five thousand kilometers from Satan City. Erasa had jumped to her feet when she realized how long it must take Gohan to go to school every day. He had laughed nervously in response and brushed it off as “his dedication to his studies.”

Yeah, right. With his superpowers, the “Gold Fighter” probably didn’t have any trouble getting to and from school.

Videl was also forced to listen as Erasa asked him about his family. His father had died almost seven years ago, and his mother was raising him and his little brother on her own, though she often got help from her father and family friends.

Despite herself, Videl had felt her chest tighten at his story. His voice was gentle and melancholic as he spoke of his family, assuring everyone that there was no need to feel sorry for him, that he wasn’t sad when he thought of his father anymore, that the good memories prevailed – and he cherished those deeply.

Even Sharpner had joined in the conversation by that point, patting Gohan on the shoulder and offering some sympathy. Videl had remained quiet, keeping her stare on her lunch box – forbidding herself to look up at him and blurt out that she knew what he was going through, that she’d lost a parent too, and that she missed her mom every day.

But she hadn’t uttered a word. She just couldn’t. She couldn’t allow herself to bond with Gohan. She had to prevent them from becoming friends and eventually something more.

Yet Videl couldn’t help but wonder how this conversation would’ve gone if she never had those dreams – how this discussion had gone in another universe, one where she didn’t know what her future held, and had nothing to worry about as she befriended the “new kid”.

She had felt his gaze on her more than once throughout the day, during lunch as he spoke as well as in class. Still, Videl wouldn’t look at him. She had to pretend he didn’t exist, she had to ignore his very presence.

She just couldn’t let him get close to her. She had to prevent the future she saw in her visions from becoming a reality – she had to change her destiny, someway, somehow, at any costs. No matter what.

Then, came the last class of the day, also known as Physical Education; they were playing baseball today, and she and Sharpner were appointed as team captains. Since Gohan had apparently gotten perfect scores on his entrance exams, Sharpner was convinced that he would suck at sports and didn’t want him on his team. Videl had rolled her eyes at the blond’s flawed logic. She was the best athlete in the school and she also happened to get good grades. Being smart didn’t mean you couldn’t be good at physical activities as well.

Besides, Gohan was the Gold Fighter, so Sharpner was completely wrong about him. Not that anyone but her was aware of that fact.

And then, stupid Erasa insisted that Gohan should join their team, saying how he could come up with new strategies for winning the game since he was so smart. Videl had scowled so hard at her, throwing deadly daggers at Erasa with her eyes, but her friend had, once again, ignored her and told Gohan he could be on their team.

“Um… But, uh… Is that okay with you too, Videl?” he’d asked, his words slow and unsure.

She had grumbled unhappily, but she knew she couldn’t say no. Gohan had to participate in the game either way, and if he couldn’t be on Sharpner’s team, then that didn’t leave her with much of a choice. 

“Pfft, whatever.”

Gohan had been pretty terrible at hiding his superpowers during the game. Videl had been pitching, Sharpner at the bat, and the other team captain had managed to hit her fastball and make a homerun. He’d had a smug look on his face as he started running – and then he froze, and so did everyone else.

High up, about thirty feet in the air, the ball in his glove, Gohan was casually hovering as he looked over the field and seemed to ponder on his next move. Then he threw the ball, looking extra careful, as though he was throwing the ball as softly as possible, yet the catcher ended up falling on his ass from the force of the throw while the ball was still swirling and even smoking into his glove. And then Gohan gently landed on his feet, all smiles that he earned a point for his team – until he noticed that everyone was staring at him in disbelief, and tried to hide under his baseball hat.

If she didn’t already know that Gohan was the Gold Fighter, Videl would’ve been gawking at him like everyone else after the stunt he had pulled. And while that jump and his throw had been quite the impressive sight, there was nothing surprising about these feats given who he was.

He had glanced her way then, and Videl had been quick to avert her gaze before he could make eye contact, even though she could sense him watching her. But his inspection had been cut short when he had been called to bat.

Apparently, Sharpner had been sore that Gohan ruined his home run, because he aimed his pitch right at Gohan’s head. Videl couldn’t stop herself from yelling, “Lookout!” even though in hindsight, Gohan had nothing to fear from the ball hitting him.

And it did, straight to his temple, the strike so strong it made him lose his hat. And Gohan just looked at the ball rolling on the ground, unscathed, and then asked the coach if that was a dead ball. Upon getting the coach’s stuttered confirmation, Gohan grinned, seeming quite happy with himself, dropped his bat and started running to first base.

He truly was awful at hiding his strength. Surely she would have eventually figured him out even without the help of her dreams, right?

Videl shook her head, shouldering her backpack as she started toward the school’s exit. That didn’t matter anymore. As much as a part of her was _dying_ to know who Son Gohan really was and what made him so strong, she couldn’t let herself be distracted; she had to stay focused on her goal. 

She had to stay away from him.

“Um… Videl?”

But that apparently was too much to ask. Guess who was standing in her way of getting out of here?

Videl sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hand. Understandably, Gohan was confused by her behavior toward him today. She had hoped he would just leave it at that and not try to talk to her again, but that didn’t take, obviously.

She crossed her arms, making a point not to meet his gaze, her head averted. Tapping her foot, she waited for him to speak, figuring she might as well get it over with.

“Can we… um… Could we maybe talk?” he asked, his voice hesitant. She didn’t answer, but didn’t walk away either, so Gohan must have figured it was okay to keep going. “I get that you don’t like me but, um… I mean, I know that sometimes people don’t need a reason to dislike somebody and you have every right to like or dislike whomever you want. It’s just… I’ve got a feeling that’s not what this is about.”

His rambling made her look at him – for the first time since this morning when she’d spotted him in her class.

His eyes troubled her. He was studying her, as though trying to solve a math equation.

“Then what would this be about?” she asked, tightening her arms around herself.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. His brow furrowed further and he pinched his lips together, deep in thought. “But this morning by the bank, you completely froze when you first saw me, and you froze again when you saw that I was in your class, and from then on you started avoiding me.” He scratched his hair roughly. “It just doesn’t make any sense. What’s more, you’re the only one who didn’t react in PE when I…”

He trailed off, probably realizing that it wasn’t in his best interest to bring up his physical prowess.

This wasn’t going well. Obviously, her avoiding Gohan was only making _him_ curious about her, and Videl couldn’t have that. It was bad enough that Erasa was making a point to include Gohan in their group of friends, not taking her into account at all. Not that Erasa could know about her predicament, but still, she wasn’t making things easier.

But now Gohan was trying to understand her, which Videl couldn’t hold against him. Even so, she couldn’t let him worm his way into her life and ruin everything. Her only option was to keep him away from her. 

She averted her gaze and grabbed on the straps of her backpack. Her forehead scrunched up and her mouth pursed tightly, forming a kind of wrinkled dry plum.

“You mean when you caught Sharpner’s homerun and just floated there for a few moments?” she finished for him, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Or when you didn’t even flinch after getting hit right in the face with his pitch?”

She couldn’t help sneaking a peek at him to see how he’d react to that, and a smirk of satisfaction started forming on her lips as Gohan blanched completely. His jaw slackened, his breath hitched in his throat, and his eyes grew wide open as he stared at her.

“Or maybe you meant when you threw the baseball so hard the catcher fell on his ass even though you looked like you weren’t even trying?” she added, enjoying the way he blubbered in complete disbelief, his face turning even paler.

Even if she hadn’t had those cursed visions, Videl knew – she was _positive_ – that she would’ve noticed that Gohan was hiding something right off the bat – no pun intended. He was just so ridiculously awful at playing a role, at pretending to be something he wasn’t – the poor kid didn’t even notice he had done anything out of the ordinary when he got hit by Sharpner’s fastball. His cluelessness was almost laughable.

Videl felt a slight pinch in her chest – but she discarded the ludicrous thought, rejecting any relevance it may have; she did _not_ find Gohan’s lack of acting skill “cute”. Her traits darkened in annoyance, her earlier amusement fizzling out like a flame that had consumed all of the oxygen around it.

Gohan was still gawking at her from her acute observations, looking infuriatingly adorable as he seemed unable to form a single coherent word, let alone any kind of intelligible thought. Her lips pursing tighter, she then huffed and turned away from him, well-intent to finally put an end to this freakish school day.

But the current bane of her existence suddenly came out of it and jogged after her. “W-Wait!”

Videl didn’t look back and sped up, her fingers tightening on the straps of her backpack. Gohan didn’t seem ready to let it go, however, and he easily caught up to her.

“What does that mean?” he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty and anxiety. “How come you…?”

But Videl suddenly picked up her pace and sprinted off, unwilling to pay attention to his legitimate interrogations. She wanted to be done with this whole mess already!

“Wait, Videl! Please!”

Still, Gohan wouldn’t let it go. He ran after her, quite easily keeping up with her, for that matter. They were starting to attract unwanted attention, curious eyes following the odd chase.

Videl growled and made a point to ignore him. They got out of the school property but even so, Gohan was still trying to make her explain what was going on.

“Please, Videl, I just want to understand!”

“Just leave me alone already!” she gritted out. 

“Why won’t you tell me? Why do you keep running away?”

They were sprinting through the streets now, evading anyone in their way. After some time, her breathing became more shallow – yet, one look behind her confirmed her that Gohan wasn’t even breaking a sweat. His brow was deeply creased with confusion and worry, but also with an unwavering determination that Videl should’ve been surprised to find in him, given how he appeared to be from the outside. But she wasn’t – she knew him, deep down. 

She knew of his courage, of his gentleness, of his patience, of his stubbornness, and even, of his temper, and how it would take a whole lot to make Gohan lose it. She knew he had the purest heart and the kindest soul.

And she knew that – if she ever allowed it – in a not-so-distant future, he would love her with every fiber of his being, that he would do absolutely anything to make her smile. She was already familiar with how it would feel to be wrapped in his arms and bathe in his warmth, to listen to his heart as it beat as one with her own. To feel his unconditional love wash over her, to have the unadulterated certitude that she was his whole world, that she was his life. That he would give it up in a heartbeat for her. And to just, let herself drown completely in this feeling of utter bliss.

And yet, no matter how incredible and grand their story would have been, Videl was simply not willing to pay the price for it. She couldn’t bear the idea of what her potential love story with that boy would turn her into. It was unacceptable. She could not, and would not, let herself mellow to the point of losing the vibrant, rebellious fire that defined her as a person – her essence, her individuality. 

She had to stop that future from happening, to turn her back to her destiny. She had to get away from Gohan – before it was too late and she, irrevocably, fell helplessly in love with him.

“UGH!” Gohan groaned, the frustration heavy in his interjection. “Just, stop running already, Videl! Why can’t we just talk? You know, like normal people!”

He was losing patience. It started making her smile – that the ever so calm and collected Son Gohan was actually losing his temper.

And then she scowled. “No! Just leave me alone already! I don’t want anything to do with you!”

She made a sharp turn and crossed the street on a red light. Cars honked and braked with the ear-splitting screeching of their tires, but that didn’t stop Videl, who just kept running until she reached the other side. She turned around; Gohan had halted at the red light, his eyes wide, gaping at her recklessness, and Videl threw him a pointed glare.

But Gohan glowered right back at her, his fists clenched at his sides, clearly very upset that she wouldn’t give him any answers. 

The cars had resumed their race, not without some colorful words and hand gestures directed at the hindrance that seemingly didn’t care whether she caused a traffic accident. Videl paid them no mind, because now with the rushing vehicles acting as a barrier between the two sides of the road, she could finally lose the pest that wouldn’t leave her alone.

She took off again, still running, figuring she might as well go home by foot instead of taking out her jet copter now – if she kept up the pace, she should get there in ten minutes tops.

Her breathing was labored but she felt a thousand times lighter. Finally! A relieved smile curved her lips as she no longer felt the oppressive presence of the potential love of her life behind her. She was finally getting some peace, at least until tomorrow – but, for now, Videl wanted to revel in this newfound albeit temporary consolation. She had hours before she had to worry about how to avoid Gohan, which wasn’t going to be easy given Erasa’s adamance in making sure the new student wasn’t feeling left out.

But, for today, she was free. There was no need to dwell on her cursed visions – she was simply never going to let them come true.

Her pace slowed; Videl decided to walk the now short distance she had left before getting home. Inhaling deeply, she felt her heartbeat slowly come down to a more serene rhythm.

* * *

She held a small crystal ball, the size of baseball, into the palm of her hand, a satisfied grin etched across her lips. She had witnessed the whole scene earlier, how Gohan tried to talk to Videl and how she just up and ran away from him. But Paige had to know what happened next after they left the school grounds, and she was elated to behold that her plan working so perfectly.

Videl had actually fled the boy who was basically her soulmate! She was running away from the perfect life she was destined to lead: a loving and devoted husband, beautiful children, and a fulfilling professional career. Paige had been able to foresee the fated meeting between Videl and the boy who would end up bringing her the kind of joy that only a selected few had ever experienced.

She felt that premonition like an insult. How was _that_ fair? _She_ had to suffer the loss of her father, and yet the brat who had him locked up in the first place was out there living her happily ever after?

No way. No way in hell. Unacceptable. That so-called crime fighter didn’t deserve to find love. She should suffer in loneliness. She didn’t deserve the perfect life that should’ve been her destiny.

Did Videl even realize what she had done? Not only had she put an innocent man behind bars, but he was killed shortly after getting in prison. How would a mild-mannered man like her father ever hold out in such a horrible place filled with horrible people? He hadn’t deserved to die like that – he’d just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. But why would Videl care about the truth? She saw someone looking suspicious in a crime scene and made up her mind about him, beat him into a pulp before handing him to the police. And why would they doubt her word? Everything she or her father said was like the word of God for the people of this damned planet.

Some justice that was! To think that girl actually thought of herself as a hero!

Her indignation and resentment had gotten so strong and vivid that her latent psychic powers suddenly amplified to unexpected levels. Paige had used that opportunity to practice her magic and plot her revenge on the teenage crime fighter.

It had worked better than she would’ve ever _dreamed_. Paige cackled, feeling a wicked pleasure at her nemesis’ misfortune, still observing the crystal orb with elation.

And then she blanched, her jaw slackening.

“Wh… What?” Paige blubbered. She couldn’t believe her own eyes, and yet…!

Was fate going against her? Why was this happening when those two had gone their separate ways already?

Paige scowled. Well, no matter. Even if that foolish boy tried to get close to Videl, she was never going to let that happen, not with the visions of her distorted future that the magic-wielder had put into her head.

* * *

Gohan had turned away, grumbling to himself about this stubborn girl who seemed determined to keep him in the dark about what was going on and how it tied to the two of them.

But he couldn’t get her out of his head. The boy raked a hand through his spiky hair and let out a dissatisfied sigh. _Why_ wouldn’t she just talk to him about what was obviously bothering her? And why on earth was she not the slightest bit astounded at his physical prowess in PE? Not that Gohan _wanted_ to stand out, but it would’ve at least made some kind of sense!

And what was up with her, running away from him like he was diseased or something? Gohan didn’t believe he was asking for too much. Videl’s attitude toward him had been more than confusing ever since their first meeting by the bank, and she just expected him to _let it go_? 

He let out a long breath. He was overreacting. He couldn’t let her get to him. Only bad things came out of him losing his temper.

Gohan decided to take a walk around the city to cool off. That Videl really did a number on him. It usually took a lot to make him upset, but that girl knew just which buttons to push to make him lose his temper.

He came out of an alleyway and turned his head to the left – and there she was.

He wasn’t expecting to run into her again, but somehow fate wasn’t finished with them yet. He blinked, trying to figure out how on earth he ended up crossing paths with Videl again without even trying.

Should he attempt to get answers from her again...?

She was strolling on the sidewalk, a little distance away; her arms swayed gently to and fro with each leisure step she took, eyes raised to the afternoon sky; she even had a slight smile curving her lips. For the first time today, her features weren’t taut in a scowl, and the serene and peaceful atmosphere surrounding her brought out her smooth and harmonious traits. 

And Gohan found himself staring, his breath itching ever so slightly.

Videl lowered her head to watch where she was going – and she froze, gaping at him; she obviously didn’t expect to see him again after ditching him earlier at the stop sign. Neither did he, for that matter.

And then her expression soured, and Gohan couldn’t help thinking to himself just how different she looked depending on her mood. 

“Are you _serious_?” she groaned, hiding her eyes with her hand.

"Hey, I wasn’t looking for you or anything. I was just taking a stroll and there you were," Gohan defended himself.

“Well, go away. Can’t you take a hint already?”

“What hint? I have absolutely no clue as to what’s going on!” he exclaimed with a wide movement of his arms, his exasperation resurfacing.

She rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips. Her traits were now taut in antipathy, her harsh expression making his brow furrow deeply.

She looked a million times better when she smiled, Gohan found himself remarking to himself.

“Then let me make myself one-hundred percent clear, Gohan,” she growled, coming up to him. She poked his chest with her forefinger, having to crane her neck now because of their height difference. Yet, even as tiny as she was, Gohan had to admit that there was something quite intimidating about her. She stretched out her words as she continued, “I do not want anything to do with you. Got it?”

His eyebrows dipped lower, trying to reach the bridge of his nose. “But why?”

Videl moved away from him and threw her arms in the air. “GAH! Why can’t you just let it go already? I don’t have to explain myself to you!”

“I think you do,” Gohan countered, keeping his voice calm as he crossed his arms. “And I don’t think I’m asking for that much. I just want to understand, Videl, and then I’ll leave you alone.”

His reasonable request and pacifying tone did nothing to tame the fire in the girl, though.

“Ugh! I’ve had it!” She swiftly turned to the side and ran to the other side of the street, but on this part of the city, where suburban neighborhoods replaced the more bustling areas of the city downtown, traffic was calm and scarce.

Gohan sighed deeply as he watched her go, and he scratched his hair, wondering if the answer to his interrogations were really worth the trouble.

Still, he wasn’t one to give up, even when his adversary seemed adamant to put up a good fight. 

More importantly, he had to find out what Videl knew about him. He’d just met her today, and even putting aside her obvious animosity toward him, he couldn’t risk having his secrets exposed to the world; he had to protect his family.

His dress shoes crunched on the grass beneath him; Videl had run to a nearby town park, maybe hoping to lose him among the trees. His arm reached out and Gohan caught her forearm, finally putting a stop to the chase. He made sure to put just enough pressure to prevent another escape without harming her.

It left him with an odd sensation; her slim yet shrewd arm that felt so small in his large and rough hand.

He didn’t let go even as she tried to shrug him off – he wasn’t letting her run off again this time! 

“Ugh!” she growled in frustration, yet she wouldn’t stop struggling even though it was painfully obvious that she wasn’t going to free herself from his grip. “What the hell! Why can’t I…? Gah! Just let me go already!”

“Not until you explain,” Gohan didn’t let up. His gaze swept around them, for he worried that bystanders might think he was attacking a girl. Luckily, however, they weren’t in the more crowded area of the park; tall trees surrounded them, the leaves casting their shadow over the teens, leaving just a few cracks for the sun rays.

“I don’t owe you anything!” Videl retorted heatedly. Her blue eyes were throwing flames at him; so vibrant and stubborn. “And you know what? You can keep asking for an explanation all you want because I’m _never_ telling you what’s going on! You won’t win against _me_ in a battle of will!”

Her defiance stirred something in him. Gohan’s frown kept digging lower as he let himself take on her challenge.

“I can be just as stubborn, if not more if I want to,” he claimed, his voice rising ever so slightly. “Don’t underestimate me just because I don’t seem strong!”

She kept struggling against his grip, but Gohan wouldn’t let go. Now it had become a matter of pride rather than a quest for an explanation. He had well-understood that he wasn’t going to get through to that hot-headed girl, at least not today, and certainly not like this. But it was too late to give up now: he had answered her challenge, and Gohan would be damned if he was going to lose against her.

He had faced Freeza; he had defeated Cell. He wasn’t going to let this girl get the better of him!

“UGH!” Videl groaned again, her frustration growing at the obvious gap of strength between them. 

“Just tell me already,” Gohan tried again, his tone getting weary. “There’s obviously something going on, and as you can see, I’m not going to back down until I’ve had my answers.”

“No!!”

“Seriously?” Gohan shook his head and sighed. “I swear, we’re going to stay here until tomorrow at this rate.”

“I’m not telling you anything!” she shot back once more, her eyes narrowed to murder him with more precision with the dagger they were throwing at him.

“Well, I’m not letting you go until you tell me,” Gohan countered in a bout of childishness. “So I guess we’re just gonna stay here all night!”

She gritted her teeth, pure contempt emanating from her aura. “Why are you so damn annoying! I can’t believe I would ever bake brownies for you!”

The statement was so confusing and out of the blue – and what kind of context was he missing here? Why _would_ she ever bake brownies for him? Not that he knew her that well or anything, but Gohan could hardly fathom this girl ever busying herself in a kitchen, let alone to cook or bake for _him_. What the heck did that even _mean_?

Caught off guard and thoroughly befuddled by what Videl had blurted out, Gohan’s grip on her arm loosened – just enough for the teenage crime fighter to jerk him off her and, once again, start running away from him.

But this time she threw something on the ground and the characteristic _poof_ of a capsule being opened soon followed. A yellow jet copter appeared among the smoke and Videl didn’t even wait for it to dissipate; she hurried in and took off, finally escaping the dumbfounded teenage boy.

He blinked at the leaves-cloaked sky, still trying to process Videl’s weird statement and her swift evasion. Brownies? Why would she even…? Where did that even come from? And why brownies, for that matter? What a weird girl!

And now he was getting hungry from thinking so much about brownies! And he _still_ had not the slightest idea why Videl was acting so strange with him!

Seriously, what was _up_ with that girl?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! ^^
> 
> Thank you for reading, and special thanks to Rockstone and Kakarot Son for beta reading, as well as to Mr. Me and ie.heretic for their help during the writing process, and again Rockstone who gets credit for the idea of the brownie line lol. XD
> 
> March 24, 2020


	3. Her Investigation

Chapter Three

_Her Investigation_

Sitting cross-legged on his magic cloud as it zipped through the sky, Gohan held his chin, his face scrunched up in deep thought. He failed to notice the warm glow of the afternoon sun on his face, or the brisk wind rustling his spiky hair, or how the browns and greens of the fields and farmlands below him became gradually scarce, only to be replaced by the grays and whites of the more familiar metropolis. His mind, however, was still with the city he had just left.

His first day of school was certainly not what he had expected. Sure, most of it had been rather eventless, and it had been nice that he got to hang out with kids his own age. Erasa had been especially welcoming and friendly.

Videl, however… Gohan’s frown deepened at the recollection. That girl’s behavior made no sense whatsoever, nor did it add up with how she seemed to… know him, somehow? But how could that be? It just didn’t make any sense. Yet it was the only way Gohan could fathom Videl’s weird reaction on their first encounter, not to mention her _lack_ of reaction to his unintentional display of physical prowess at the baseball game earlier.

Could it be that he’d met her before after all? Maybe when they were really young, which would kind of explain why he didn’t remember her?

Plausible as it was, the explanation just didn’t sit well with him. Gohan knew in his gut that he didn’t just forget Videl. Something else was going on.

It took him a few moments to realize that his transportation had stopped moving. Gohan looked down and was met with the giant dome that was Capsule Corporation. Nimbus was hovering over the round building, the friendly cloud knowing his destination well enough not to need any direction from its owner.

Well, hopefully, Bulma could offer him some insight on the matter.

* * *

The printer hummed smoothly as another sheet of paper rolled out. Videl narrowed her eyes at the computer screen, studying the photo she had just printed to add to her investigation file.

Pieces of evidence were rapidly accumulating. She was making a list of all the people from her dreams that she had ━ or, rather, that she _would have_ encountered in her future.

Some were easier to look up online than others. The shot of the famous baseball player, Yamcha confirmed that it had indeed been he who she had seen in one of her dreams. It had been a big reunion with all kinds of people: family and friends; a close-knitted group who seemed to live in a foreign world. 

Reading about Yamcha’s life was all Videl needed to make the connection between him and Gohan. In his youth, the baseball star had actually been a three-time finalist of the World Martial Arts Tournament. Looking further into the web of information, Videl learned that Yamcha had been one of the rare students of Master Roshi’s Turtle School. Two other names were related to the famous yet greatly selective martial arts school: Krillin and Son Goku ━ both of which had also been in her dreams.

Of course, Videl knew about Son Goku. She’d always loved reading about the history of martial arts, and Son Goku was one of the biggest names. Getting to the final round of the tournament each of the three times he’d entered the fighting competition, his first participation at the mere age of twelve, and winning the world tournament at only eighteen years old; people even speculated that Son Goku had saved the world against the Demon King who had attempted to take over the world. His legacy, however, had been stained by her very own father, who had the world regard Son Goku’s accomplishments and martial arts prowess as cheap magic tricks ━ something Videl herself had let herself believe, even though a part of her had never been fully convinced. Now, though… she felt as though she was seeing everything through a new lens.

It only clicked now that Gohan was most likely related to the former world champion. Son Goku, Son Gohan… they had to be father and son, right? 

Videl leaned back on her desk chair, crossing her arms, her eyes unfocusing as she contemplated what all this implicated. Goku was Gohan’s father… which meant he had died seven years ago. Goku knew Yamcha and Krillin because they all went to the Turtle School, and it even linked Goku to the famous Bulma Briefs, another face from her dreams, who had been Yamcha’s on and off girlfriend for over ten years.

Something didn’t add up, though. Videl leaned forward and put her hand on the mouse, opening a new tab on her internet browser to use the search engine once more. Her fingers drummed on the keyboard briefly and then she hit _Enter_.

Was Son Goku really dead? Videl was certain she’d seen him alive and well in a few of her dreams. He had looked a little young to be the father of a fully-grown man with a wife and kids of his own, but it had been him. Yet Gohan had said his father had passed… and he certainly hadn’t sounded insincere as he related those events. The way his voice had toned down, the notes of melancholy, of wistfulness, of admiration as he spoke of his late father… no, there was no way Gohan had lied. Absolutely no way.

But Goku had been alive in her dreams.

Her online search led her to the obituary section of an article, confirming that, to the world, Son Goku was indeed declared deceased.

Videl’s eyebrows knitted together, wrinkling the bridge of her nose. “What does it mean?” she wondered out loud.

Could this inconsistency be proof that her dreams were bogus? But what about everything _else_ that they got right?

What did it _mean_?

* * *

In the living quarters of Capsule Corp., Gohan sat on the sofa while Bulma stood on the other side of the coffee table, smoking a cigarette. The blue-haired genius slowly blew the nicotine mist as she trained her intelligent gaze on the teenage boy. 

“So, what’s the matter?” she asked.

A slight frown furrowed Gohan’s brow as the day’s events replayed in his mind. He leaned forward, his forearms resting against his legs, his fingers intertwining. “I had a really weird encounter this morning. It was right after I took care of the bank robbery.”

“Ah, yes, they talked about you on the news,” Bulma recalled, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “You turned Super Saiyan, right? Nobody should’ve recognized you. Although, they talked about what you were wearing, and they even mentioned your high school pin…” she added, letting her eyes go over his attire, causing Gohan to look down at himself and come to the realization that Bulma was right. “I can make you a disguise and put it in a capsule if you’d like.”

The demi-Saiyan blinked at the scientist’s simple solution. While this wasn’t the reason why he had come to seek her advice, getting a disguise to fight crime in Satan City sounded kind of like a really neat idea. Crime seemed especially terrible over there, and if he could conceal his identity better, he would only have to focus on helping the police put the bad guys away without worrying about having his name displayed everywhere in the media. From what he had seen in the three times he had been in Satan City, they certainly needed the assistance, but Gohan still hoped to blend in at his new school.

“Yes, that’d be great, Bulma, thanks,” he said with a grateful smile. 

She tapped on her cig over the ashtray on the coffee table before taking another whiff. “You just can’t resist getting involved when there’s trouble, huh? That’s so like you,” she remarked with a chuckle. “Anyway, I should be done in two hours.”

“But, um…” Gohan got up to hold Bulma back, who was already turning around, ready to get to work as she understandably assumed that the conversation was over. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

Bulma looked at him and tilted her head, and then she brightened in realization. “Oh! The weird encounter. Sorry, sorry, do keep going.” She stubbed her cigarette on the ashtray and sat on one of the armchairs adjacent to the sofa, to which she motioned with a wave of her arm, inviting her guest to sit back down. “Who did you meet and what was weird about the encounter?”

Gohan settled back on his previous seat and his face scrunched up once more as he thought about Videl’s reaction to seeing him for the first time.

“Well, right after I took care of the robbery and turned back to normal, I guess I let my guard down because a girl managed to sneak up on me. She started saying something, but when I turned around she just, kind of…” His brow furrowed deeper as he continued, “…froze. Like she was seeing a ghost or something.”

Bulma raised her eyebrows and pulled her head back, her chin slightly dipping into her neck. “Huh. That _is_ weird.”

“But that’s not all of it,” Gohan went on, the words coming out more easily now that he had gotten started. 

He told Bulma everything else, how Videl turned out to be in his class, though she arrived late; how she’d reacted in the same way once again, freezing from head to toe when her gaze had stopped on him; how she ended up settling down just two seats away from him because, as it turned out, he was sitting next to her friend. How, from that moment on, she made a point _not_ to look at him, a deep scowl seemingly glued to her face permanently as she made sure to show that she wanted nothing to do with him.

Bulma listened on as Gohan kept going, telling her about the baseball game in PE, how he hadn’t been careful enough not to show off his strength, how everyone had stared at him in disbelief – everyone but Videl, that is. She didn’t even look like she’d seen anything out of the ordinary. Gohan recounted what she said to him later, after school, confirming that she indeed saw through his pretense. How it felt like she already knew about him.

“Huh,” Bulma reflected once again.

“Yeah,” Gohan nodded. “It’s weird, isn’t it? I mean, it’s not like I wanted to stand out or anything, but the way she seemed to know everything, somehow…”

“And then what happened?” Bulma inquired, an eager glint in her eyes. “You didn’t just leave it at that, did you?”

His gaze dropped and he scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed to relate to his adult friend how he kinda lost his temper and acted quite childishly as a result.

But he carried on anyway and felt his cheeks warm up as he spoke of his earlier behavior. His friend was biting her lip, looking like she was about to burst but waiting for him to finish his story.

“And then she said something so weird and confusing,” Gohan added, a frown creasing his brow at the memory. Bulma fidgeted in her seat, clearly having the toughest time to stay serious. “She said that she couldn’t believe she would ever bake brownies for me…?” 

That was the last straw for Bulma who couldn’t hold it anymore — she guffawed and wheezed like a madwoman, throwing her head back. Gohan felt his face burn up once more. His mouth clamped shut as he let the genius scientist openly mock him.

“Oh, geez, oh, man,” Bulma giggled, wiping her tears with her index finger, one eye after the other. “I can’t believe you’d run after her like that! Do you have a crush on her or something? ” she added as a joke.

His face bright crimson, Gohan made sure to keep his stare fixated on his fists which rested on his lap, unwilling to look at the blue-haired genius who was still laughing at him. 

“So, um…” he mumbled, shifting uneasily in his spot as Bulma’s mirth toned down to an amused grin. “Why do you think she acted like that?”

“Beats me,” Bulma said with a shrug. “It’s definitely weird.” She took a moment to think, her gaze dropping to the coffee table, staring at it without seeing it. “Hmm… Maybe she’s psychic?”

His eyebrows scrunching up, he forgot his earlier embarrassment and looked over at the Capsule Corp. heiress. “Psychic…?”

Bulma shrugged, lighting herself another cigarette. “Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve encountered one of those. People seem to forget in today’s times, what with Mr. Satan filling their heads with silly beliefs, but magic is real.”

“Wouldn’t that be rich? Mr. Satan’s daughter actually being psychic…” Gohan chuckled at the thought. “Though I guess it would explain how she’d know about me without having met me before.”

Bulma paused, the ash of her cigarette accumulating as she stared at him, her lips parting.

“Wait, that Videl you were talking about, that’s _Mr. Satan’s daughte_ r?”

He tilted his head. “Didn’t I mention it?”

In response, Bulma cracked up once again. “Mr. Satan’s daughter! Bwahahaha! Oh, the _irony_!”

She was still laughing as a robot on wheels rolled to her and extended a pincer-like hand holding a cordless phone; a metallic voice coming out of the speakers on either side of its oval head informed her that she had a phone call.

Gohan observed the scene wondering if he should go and give his friend some privacy for her call. But she didn’t seem to care at all; a broad grin stretched across her lips, eyes twinkling with mirth, Bulma got up and grabbed the receiver, a giggle still tickling in her throat as she said, “Yes?”

His better than average hearing allowed the teenage boy to make out a distorted female voice on the other side of the line. _“_ _Um, h-hello…”_ She cleared her throat. _“_ _Is this Dr. Bulma Briefs?”_

“The one and only! And you are?”

_“_ _I’m, uh, I’m Vicky. It’s an honor to speak with you, Dr. Briefs.”_

“It’s nice to meet you, Vicky,” Bulma chirped, and Gohan could see that getting her ego stroked brightened her mood some more. He cracked a smile, recognizing his long-time friend and her shameless ego. “How may I help you?”

_“_ _I’m doing an assignment for school about powerful and influential women of today. If it’s not too much to ask, may I take a few moments of your time to ask you a few questions about your life?”_

Huh. That girl certainly knew how to get in Bulma’s good grace. The apprehensive waver had gone from her voice, and the way she spoke kind of sounded rehearsed. Gohan was impressed by her dedication to doing her work. If it were him, he wasn’t sure he would’ve overcome his nervousness that quickly.

“Well, you’re in luck, because I’m in an excellent mood,” replied Bulma. “Sure, go ahead ━ but I do reserve the right not to answer any question that I would deem too personal. That okay with you?”

 _“_ _Of course,”_ came the expected reply. _“_ _Thank you so much, Dr. Briefs.”_

“Alright then, give me a moment.” Bulma put her hand loosely over the phone speaker, carelessly not covering it enough not to be heard from the other side of the line. She turned to look at her young guest and said, “Gohan, Trunks is in the GR with Vegeta. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you, so why don’t you go see him in the meantime? I’ll still need about two hours to work on your thing anyway.”

Gohan put his hands on his knees and got up. “Sure. I’d love to play with Trunks while I wait for you to be done.”

 _Wait, Trunks is in the Gravity Room?_ Was it kiddie playtime in the GR now? Was Vegeta training with baby weights? It hadn’t been _that_ long since he’d last visited the Briefs, was it? 

Gohan refrained from asking Bulma about it; she put the receiver against her ear once more to get back to the conversation. Walking past the famous scientist, the boy wondered if he would have that kind of assignment now that he went to school. A grin drew out his lips little by little as he pictured everything he would get to do that he hadn’t been able to while studying by himself. Working with a partner, using tools from the school, doing science experiments… The prospect was exciting.

“Huh? What the… She hung up?” 

Gohan turned around and saw Bulma stare at the cordless phone in her hold. They shared a look, not quite sure what to think.

Bulma growled like a wild animal ready to pounce on its prey. “What happened to wanting to interview the most influential woman of today’s modern times?”

Her ego certainly hadn’t diminished over the years, he mused in amusement.

“Maybe an outside cause cut the line and she’ll call back?” Gohan offered.

With that in mind, which did sound like a legitimate explanation, they both stood in their spots and waited for a few moments. Gohan was near the archway, Bulma, by the coffee table, while the robot patiently waited for its mistress to be done with the phone ━ yet it did not ring again.

Bulma and Gohan looked at each other again, incomprehension and confusion taking over their expressions. And then, in the same motion, they both shrugged. 

“Ah, well.” Bulma handed the phone back to the robot, who thanked her politely and rolled away on its tank-like wheels. Gohan gave her a silent salute with two fingers and went on his way to see Trunks while she took another exit to go to her lab and start working on a superhero suit for him.

“Hmm, where’s the GR again?” Gohan looked around as he tried to identify the hallway he had wandered in. “This house is so big. I always end up getting lost here.” 

It sure was weird that the girl didn’t call back. Ah, well, like Bulma said. Logic didn’t always go with human behavior: his earlier actions certainly proved that point. The demi-Saiyan still didn’t get what came over him after school. His temper would make itself known at the oddest times, for sure. Granted, he had reasons to believe Videl somehow knew about him, and her running away like she did only made him more upset because she wouldn’t even offer a simple explanation to finally throw some light over to him and his confused brain.

Was she actually psychic? Could she have seen his past, and that was why she’d paled in horror when she saw him for the first time by the bank this morning? If she saw even a glimpse of any of the violent battles he had to partake in when he was a kid… Freeza, Reecom, and even Vegeta came to mind… not to mention Piccolo beating him up every day for nearly six months to teach him how to fight; Gohan grimaced. Indeed, that would certainly explain why she didn’t want anything to do with him.

A deep line creased his brow as another, much more worrying possibility crept up into his mind. What if she saw his future? What if something horrible would happen to him or anyone close to him, and Videl was afraid to get involved in that? 

Did that mean that his father stayed dead for nothing? That enemies would still target the Earth even if he wasn’t there to attract them? They’d had seven years of peace, which was the longest time without a powerful villain threatening the planet since he was born, so they all figured Goku was right, that he should stay dead. Could it have been for nothing? Was the planet doomed to keep getting attacked by evil tyrants time and time again whether his father was alive or dead?

Gohan shook his head sharply. He was starting to sound paranoid. They weren’t even sure that Videl indeed had psychic powers and if that was the reason for her behavior today. He’ll have to try and figure it out somehow, which should prove to be quite complicated given that Videl made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Nonetheless, Gohan wasn’t one to back down against adversity. He would get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

Now, to the Gravity Room… 

* * *

Her breathing shallow, her mouth opening and closing, making her resemble a fish, and her eyes so wide open they nearly fell out of their sockets, Videl stared at her hand still holding the landline phone against the hanger on her desk where she had slammed the receiver just moments ago. 

“What. The. Heck.” 

And then suddenly Videl threw her legs out and pushed herself as far away from the phone as possible, as though it was possessed by a demon or a contagious illness. She rolled backward in her chair but used a little too much force in her panic: the wheels caught the rim of the carpet and the swivel chair toppled backward, shamelessly dragging Videl down along with it.

“Eeeep!” she squeaked, flailing her arms around instead of stopping herself from tumbling back, and thumping hard on her back in a tumultuous heap. At least the chair was cushioned and eased the impact on the floor — but in its momentum, Videl’s legs flew up and one of her knees hit her face causing her to yelp at the pain, and then her legs slammed once more on the seat and Videl winced as the back of her thighs hit the seat once more.

“Oof..” Her face twitched as she touched the tender spot on the side of her forehead, and wondered if she would get a bruise; she didn’t mark easily in general. 

A scowl distorted her young face as her narrowed eyes stayed on the ceiling.

How humiliating, letting herself get into this position… Videl felt more ashamed of herself for not reacting quickly enough to avoid getting pulled down with the chair than she was hurt. And she called herself a martial artist.

The position made it hard to get up and Videl had to wriggle and roll to the side onto the carpet.

Only to land face-first onto the carpeted floor. A handful of colorful curses slipped out of her breath and she hoisted herself up.

At last, she was back on her feet. The teenage girl growled and glared at the fallen-over chair, forgetting reason as she blamed it for the fall. “Stupid chair. Couldn’t just go down alone, huh? Just had to take me down with you, didn’t you? You spiteful piece of furniture.” 

The chair, obviously, didn’t answer, then again, if dreams could be visions of the future and if a sixteen-year-old had actual, legit superpowers and could change his appearance at will, what was even real anymore? Either way, Videl was too upset to bother putting the chair back to its rightful place by the desk. 

She looked over to her computer screen and her mood worsened. The picture of a nineteen-year-old, newly-wed man was smiling at the camera, looking like he had not a single care in the world. It was the same stupid smile she’s seen numerous times in her dreams on his son and even today, despite her effort to avoid him at all costs.

Gohan. Right. For a second, her animosity toward the chair made her forget that she might be destined to fall hopelessly in love with that boy, marry him, and have his children.

Gohan had been with Bulma at the time of her call. How did he even get there so fast? She figured he was fast, but this? Not only was it in the opposite direction for him, but it was even farther away from Satan City than the tiny village in Mount Paozu where he lived, which was five hours away by plane and no less than twelve hours by car.

Actually, not important. Videl shook her head to push away her pointless musing. 

Back on topic — what on earth was _Gohan_ even doing there? And damn it, why couldn’t she get a hold of herself instead of slamming the phone down and cutting short to what should’ve been a great source of intel?

She collapsed on her bed, arms and legs splayed out, heaved a deep sigh, and fixated her unfocused stare on the ceiling. Her mind was reeling.

Through her investigation, Videl had decided that the Internet could only provide so much information, therefore, she sought to contact any of the people she’d been seeing in her dreams. Yamcha was retired and there hadn’t been any update on him for a few years. There wasn’t a lot about Krillin or anyone else, either, except for Son Goku, but he was supposedly deceased, and Bulma, who was none other than the daughter of the inventor of the hoi poi capsules and a renowned scientist and inventor herself.

She’d had to make a lot of calls to find a direct line to Bulma, using her name and her dad’s connections to get the number. She’d actually been surprised that the famous Capsule Corp. heiress didn’t even question how she’d gotten her home’s number. She had even come up with a fake name, a fake story, and made the call on incognito mode. Everything had been set, and Videl had all her questions already jotted down so as not to forget anything.

And then she heard Bulma say Gohan’s name… and Trunks’, and Vegeta’s, who were respectively the woman’s son and husband-to-be. But the blue-haired genius was very private about her personal life, and while the common people knew that she had a son with a man who lived with her (and they clearly got married later), nobody outside of her inner circle knew their names. 

And yet, somehow… 

She rose from the lying position and sat on the edge of the bed, directing her gaze to the computer screen once more. 

Hearing those names, not to mention Gohan’s… It had been too much to handle, and Videl had hung up on a whim, too shocked and shaken by what she’d just heard. 

So it was all true, wasn’t it? Her dreams were indeed visions of her future. Gohan knew Bulma just as she suspected, and Trunks and Vegeta were real and not mere figments of her imagination.

Her hands balling up into fists on her lap, the girl scowled, her lips tightly pursed. Well, she was still the master of her own destiny. Nothing would ever make her marry Gohan.

She got up and grabbed the binder she’d put together over the past few hours. Standing by the desk, stubbornly refusing to put her chair back in place, Videl observed her handiwork, taking her time turning the sheet protectors, one after the other. 

She still didn’t understand how Goku could’ve been in her visions considering he was supposedly dead. The only explanation the raven-haired girl could come up with was that Goku went missing and would eventually come back to his family. Maybe he got in trouble. Maybe he was lost somewhere with no memory and would eventually get it back. Maybe he was a secret agent and had to fake his death to protect his family.

She scoffed. Yeah, right. What could possibly harm someone as strong as Gohan? A guy who was powerful enough to turn over a jeep, to catch bullets in his hand and who took down five armed robbers in a blink (and that had only been that morning); someone like him definitely didn’t need any protection.

Videl rolled her eyes at herself and at the silly turn her thought process was taking.

Her gaze shifted over to the landline phone sitting on the right corner of her desk, and the tired girl heaved a sigh, her shoulders hunching slightly in discouragement. She had meant to ask Bulma about her connection to the Son family and eventually lead the conversation to Goku, to what became of him and how he died. And now it was all for nothing.

Should she call back? She could always make up a story to explain why she hung up so suddenly and why it took her so long to call again… 

But Videl was tired of all this. She didn’t get to train or even fight today, both of which thanks to he-who-should-not-be-named. Her brain was heavy and constricted with all the information she had gathered, and she needed to get her blood flowing and blow off some steam. 

With that in mind, the girl turned on her heels to finally get out of her room for a much-needed training session at her home’s personal gym. Hopefully, some of her dad’s students were still around and she could get a sparring session out of them. 

Just as she reached for the doorknob, the door flew open and hit her flat on her face. 

She put a hand over her sore visage and sighed deeply as her father fussed over her. Apparently, her embarrassing mishap with the petty chair had been so loud that her father rushed to her, which hadn’t been a short run considering that their gigantic house had about fifty bedrooms, not counting the other kinds of rooms like the theater room, her dad’s office, the many living rooms…

“Papa, I’m fine, really.” Videl sighed deeply. She was so done with this day.

But that didn’t stop the overprotective father, not in the least.

_Can today be over already? Please?_

* * *

Sitting on her bed and holding the crystal ball in her palm, Paige guffawed loudly, her head thrown back. Oh, how enjoyable. The show of the misfortune of the girl who had put her father behind bars and caused his death gave her so mch joy.

Her powers were even stronger than she would’ve thought. If she could give bad luck to Videl in such a way, she wondered what else she could do... At the rate her psychic powers were growing, testing her magic would be interesting. Paige smirked. And she just happened to have the perfect test subject...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shootout to ie.heretic, Rockstone (aka Rs), and Mr. Me for helping me with and proofreading the chapter. I just updated the chapter with ie.heretic’s corrections, for that matter.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the read! DD is meant to be a comedy not just a romance story, and from what I saw in the comments so far I seem to have succeeded. ^__^
> 
> Or have I? Lol. If it made you laugh or at least chuckle, please leave a comment to tell me. ^^
> 
> April 14, 2020


	4. His New Role

Chapter Four

_His New Role_

* * *

Videl couldn’t tell what the absence of dreams meant, but she sure was glad for the good night of dreamless, much-needed sleep. Maybe she had been simply too exhausted to dream anything after her intensive training session, or maybe, hopefully, it meant that she was on the right path by staying away from Gohan.

Regardless, she was determined to keep things that way. 

The hallways buzzed with gossip that morning, and for a moment, the girl got worried that they were talking about Gohan and her and how he’d run after her through the hallways after school. The last thing she needed was for people to start making the wrong assumption that something was going on between the two of them. As Videl got to her locker, however, she soon found out that a new, much juicier piece of gossip had overshadowed what happened the day before between Gohan and her. 

“Hey, Videl!” Erasa greeted her cheerfully.

She eyed her friend, unsure if she should forgive her after yesterday. Not that Erasa knew what she had done wrong, but she should’ve taken into account that Videl wanted nothing to do with the “new kid” instead of ignoring her feelings completely. Nonetheless, Videl decided to let it go. She was in a better mood, what with not being bothered with unwanted visions of her possible future life during the night.

“Hey,” she replied simply, taking her things from her locker before pushing the door shut.

“Did you hear? There’s a new superhero in town!” Erasa declared, her eyes glimmering with excitement.

Videl raised an eyebrow as the two started toward their classroom together. “Another one?”

“They say his costume looks weird, but he’s super strong. I heard he lifted a car with one hand like it was nothing!”

 _Sounds like Gohan,_ Videl thought, unable to stop the logical deduction from popping in her head. _But why would he create another superhero alter-ego?_

“His name is the Great Singing Man,” Erasa finished her account.

A moment passed and they got to their classroom. Videl’s forehead creased as something clicked in her head. “Don’t you mean, the Great Saiyaman?”

“Hm? Maybe. Weird name either way,” Erasa said with a shrug. 

Out of the corner of her eyes, Videl caught sight of Gohan grumbling to himself, up in their row.

“But, wait, how do you know?” Erasa questioned. “Did you hear it from the police?”

Videl simply shrugged, but her gaze stayed trained on the boy who she was ninety-nine percent sure was the new superhero. He seemed to sense her stare, but Videl was quick to look away and avoid any eye contact with him.

She’d seen him in a few of her dreams. Gohan would hit a button on his watch to transform into the Great Saiyaman, kind of like the technology of the hoi poi capsules, and make a fool of himself to make their baby daughter laugh.

Was that why he’d been at Bulma’s yesterday? It made sense. But Videl couldn’t be one-hundred-percent sure just yet. The Gohan from her visions might have just been cosplaying the superhero. After all, if the Cell Games were any indication, Gohan wasn’t the only one with superpowers. Still, the probability that any one of those other fighters was also in Satan City was pretty low.

She got to her seat from the other side of the row, unwilling to pass behind Gohan like the day before. Erasa didn’t shy away from him, however, and greeted the boy ever-so-cheerfully as she got to their row. 

Videl kept to herself, not joining in the casual chatter before class. She couldn’t help glancing at Gohan’s left wrist, to see if he was wearing a watch, but his long sleeve was in the way.

She frowned at her closed notebook. Pushing down her curiosity about him was easier said than done. There was so much mystery surrounding that boy and his abilities. Everything she’d been able to foresee wasn’t nearly enough to understand how he could transform or how he got so strong ━ or if he really was the boy from the Cell Games like she suspected. 

His father was still a big question mark, for that matter, and Videl was aware that asking Gohan about him would’ve been the simplest course of action. After the clash between them yesterday, though, the girl couldn’t imagine how she could bring up such a sensitive matter. Not to mention that any contact with Gohan was just too risky.

Her shoulders slumped. This was going to be a very long year… Maybe she could ask to transfer to another class and be done with it. At least it would make things easier if she didn’t have to see Gohan every day. 

Videl kept that idea for later. It was too soon to do something so drastic, and she didn’t want to upend her life just because of some guy. 

* * *

As it turned out, focusing on Philosophy class was a difficult task when one suspected their classmate might have the ability to read minds. Gohan fought the urge to let his leg bounce in place and tipped up his sleeve to look at his watch. 

Over half an hour until the morning break: that was the time he had left to think of a way to somehow ask Videl if she was psychic. He’d been racking his brain over it for the past two hours and had nothing to show for it.

He shot her a quick glance. Was she reading his mind right now? Was she even psychic at all?

How would he even begin to ask her such a question? ‘ _Hey, Videl, I know we hardly know each other, but I was wondering if you might be able to read minds or see the future by any chance?’_ That sounded ridiculous in his head, let alone daring to say it out loud. 

And what business did the daughter of Hercule Satan have being psychic, anyway? He was quite sure it didn’t run in the family ━ at least from her father’s side. Mr. Satan was known for his open hostility towards what he called ‘magic tricks,’ so Gohan couldn’t envision his daughter dabbling in that kind of thing. It just didn’t make any sense. Nothing made sense in any of this.

Two boys in the row below started whispering about the new superhero in town. Gohan started to smile to himself. _Heh. They’re talking about me._

But then he frowned when they got his name wrong. Again. Everyone was getting it wrong. It was the Great _Saiyaman_ , not Tireman, not Singing Man, not Swinging Man, definitely _not_ Sardine Man, or whatever version Gohan had been hearing since he got to school today. Was it that hard to remember? The boy he’d corrected earlier at his locker had given him a weird look, so Gohan pursed his lips and refrained from telling his classmates in the row below that they got the name wrong.

He suddenly stopped his train of thought and glanced nervously at Videl; Erasa was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed behind her head and didn’t seem to be interested in taking notes, so she wasn’t in his way as he checked to see any reaction on the possible psychic girl.

She was listening to the lecture and ━ he may have been wrong about this ━ but her expression didn’t feel forced. It didn’t look like she had “heard” his thoughts, or Gohan figured she would have reacted in some way.

Then again, right before class started, unlike everybody else, Videl had actually got his superhero name right, so maybe she already knew it was him.

Or maybe he was just working himself up over nothing. Gohan’s brow furrowed as he turned away and looked down at the teacher. Either way, he needed to talk to Videl ASAP and find out what she knew. Or, if anything, whether she was willing to keep it to herself. She hadn’t said anything so far, but Gohan didn’t know what or if she planned to do anything with the information she seemed to have about him.

A beeping sound interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to look at Videl in confusion as she answered a call in her wristwatch. “Videl here.”

“ _Two criminals spotted in Randcell Town!”_ a distorted male voice informed her. “ _They’re trying to escape to the mountains on route eighty-one!”_

Next thing he knew, the teenage girl rushed off, throwing a quick apology at the teacher who told her to be careful.

Gohan blinked. He turned to Erasa and Sharpner and asked what just happened.

“Oh, Videl always does that kind of thing,” Erasa said casually, leaning her elbows on the desk to rest her chin in her hands. “She’s a crimefighter, so the police call her for help if needed. She’s really strong! She’s Mr. Satan’s daughter, after all.”

“What? _Her_?” Sure, he had sensed that Videl was strong, but he couldn’t imagine that tiny thing of a girl fighting big, armed bad guys.

Sharpner chuckled, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his broad chest. “You shouldn’t underestimate her. Videl is much stronger than me. She’s even as strong as her father.”

But what should’ve reassured Gohan ━ what would’ve comforted anyone else ━ only made his worry grow. What he remembered from Mr. Satan’s level in combat was… not too glorious, to say the least. If Videl was only as strong as her father and was going up against the type of armed criminals he had been dealing with since he started coming to Satan City to enroll in this school, the demi-Saiyan feared for her life. He had to go help her.

Gohan stared at his open notebook, hunched over, his shoulders tense, his fists tightly closed on top of the desk. He knew it would look suspicious if he followed Videl right away. Distractedly, he heard Sharpner point out, “With the Gold Fighter, the new Great… Something, and Videl, that’s three heroes for one small city. Strange, huh?” Erasa laughed at that.

He pinched his lips together. Should he go now? Should he wait longer? The class had resumed, but Gohan wasn’t hearing a word that the teacher was saying. Videl could be in danger. What was she even doing, fighting ruthless criminals on her own? What were the police _thinking_ , asking a teenage girl for help? Even if she was strong, she shouldn’t be risking her life like that. And if she was only as strong as Mr. Satan… Gohan couldn’t imagine things ending well for her.

His chair screeched on the floor as he stood all of a sudden, not quite controlling the volume of his voice as he all but shouted to ask if he could use the restroom. 

Everyone gave him weird looks, but Gohan didn’t notice. He rushed out of the classroom and took long and quick strides as he ran through the hallways then up the stairs, reaching the roof in no time. 

It was time for the Great Saiyaman to make his entrance!

Pushing the red button on his watch as he called, “Transform!” (he was a superhero after all!) Gohan then shot off from the roof, now clad in the disguise Bulma had made for him yesterday. On his head was an orange helmet with a black top and white antennas on each side. He was wearing a black spandex suit beneath a green tunic, which was held at his waist with a stylish, thick black belt that had a round, golden buckle, as well as white gloves, white boots with golden ridges at the tips, and, of course, the red cape, hooked to his green tunic with golden pins at his chest level. The smooth, crimson fabric flowed gracefully as he soared through the sky.

Gohan had instantly loved the attire and had practiced cool new moves for two hours last night in preparation for his brand-new role as a superhero. Admittedly, he was quite eager to try them out in action too. 

Now, off to route eighty-one!

And then Gohan stopped in mid-air, his fist still outstretched in the patented flying pose.

“Wait… Where’s route eighty-one…?”

Grumbling to himself, the superhero settled atop a high, circular roof. He had no choice but to wait until Videl’s ki flared once she started fighting. 

Luckily, he didn’t have to wait too long. Gohan soon perked up when he sensed Videl’s ki and took off at once. He was getting closer to the mountains, following the trail of a sinuous road which he assumed was route eighty-one. From the distance, he saw an idle air-car and a yellow jet-copter, as well as three people in between the two vehicles. Videl was fighting a bald giant who wore an eyepatch like a pirate, while his accomplice stood aside; he was short and skinny and had dark, frizzy hair that stuck out of a wooly hat.

Now hovering over the action, Gohan found himself staring. The girl easily evaded a right hook by lowering herself and used the momentum to shoot up and deliver a powerful punch that threw her opponent several meters back. 

“Huh… She’s really good,” he commented to himself. “She’s much stronger than her father, for that matter.”

Videl provoked the criminal to get back up and keep fighting, while the accomplice approached him nervously and asked if he was alright.

“Of course I’m alright!” the giant snarled, standing on unbalanced legs as he faced Videl again. She sneered at him while he claimed that he was just getting started, that she had yet to see what he was made of. 

But he was nothing to Videl. Gohan watched as she toyed around with the gigantic muscle-head, delivering hit after hit without a miss. It was quite the sight, this tiny girl dominating an opponent who looked at least three times her size. And there he’d thought she was in danger.

He cracked a smile. Sharpner was right ━ Videl could handle herself just fine.

* * *

People always assumed she would be an easy target because she was a girl and didn’t really look like a fighter, but Videl was happy to prove them wrong.

This one instance was particularly satisfying. After the turn her life had taken since meeting the boy that her dreams had designated as the love of her life, Videl more than welcomed the opportunity to unwind her frustration at her possible but unwanted future life on the criminal. This piece of scum made for a more than decent punching bag; as luck would have it, the guy was resilient enough to take a beating. 

Alas, her luck seemed to have turned. The giant crashed on the pavement with a loud _thud_ , and this time it didn’t look like he would be getting back up. The teenage crime-fighter scoffed at the pitiful sight.

“Get up! You wanted to show me what you were made of, didn’t you?” she taunted, but the crook was out for the count.

And then the hair at the back of her neck rose in alert; Videl swiftly turned around just as the weak-looking accomplice pulled out a gun. At that precise moment, a caped figure dropped from the sky, literally, and in his momentum delivered a swift chop on the criminal’s wrist to make him let go of the lethal weapon, not giving him the time to cause any harm, or even to disable the security lock.

The scrawny man howled in pain while holding his wrist. The caped vigilante, his face concealed beneath a weird-looking orange helmet with antennas, picked up the gun and crushed it in his gloved hand like it was made of play-doh, rendering it worthless.

Videl couldn’t help gasping at the display of strength. This guy was no joke.

“What the… Who the hell are you?” the perpetrator demanded as he held his sore wrist, his wavering voice reaching higher notes.

A chuckle escaped from the disguised man’s lips ━ the only visible part of his face. 

“That,” he said, the amusement clear in the familiar inflection of his voice, “you will find out in the next chapter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … of Distorting Destiny! Hehe xD This joke was actually in the manga, so I couldn’t resist making it too lol.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to reading your comments! ^^
> 
> UPDATE: I forgot to thank ie.heretic, Mr. Me, and Rockstone for their help with this chapter. Mr. Me gets credit for thinking of Sardine Man, and ie.heretic for beta’ing the chapter and for writing some of the beginning of the scene where Gohan wonders if Videl can read minds, which was her idea for that matter.
> 
> May 6, 2020


	5. Her One Condition

"I'll ask ya' one more time. Who the hell are you?!" the scrawny criminal sputtered indignantly, taking a step back from the newcomer in the flashy costume.

Like he was in any position to give orders. His gun was in pieces, he was clearly not the muscles of this law-breaking duo ━ his accomplice was out cold anyway ━ and he was facing a man who could crush metal like it was nothing. Perhaps barking orders was his way of grasping at some sense of reality where things like this couldn't actually happen, where he wasn't outclassed by some weirdo who'd somehow dropped from the sky. Not gonna do him any good though.

The caped vigilante didn't seem to mind the order, though. He stood tall and proud, his smile widening. "I'll tell you as promised. I am…"

He trailed off to strike a pose. His right arm went upward to his left while pulling back his other arm and closing his hand into a fist at his helmeted head's level. He followed with… sideway jazz hands? Videl didn't know what to think anymore, yet apparently she hadn't seen the worst of it, as the disguised man with questionable taste resumed his speech to introduce himself.

"… an agent of justice who will never let the world be contaminated by evil!"

Videl wanted to look away, yet somehow she was transfixed ━ like watching a particularly gory and bloodied scene in a scary movie ━ as he followed his claim with a series of ridiculous poses ━ yet looking one hundred percent serious while he performed them.

He mimicked an airplane with his arms then ran in place for a few seconds, then with his legs and arms wide apart, he bent down sideways and hit the ground with his right palm. Then, facing the crook once more, his feet a meter apart and pointing outward, he bent his knees and crossed his arms in front of his head, then spread them out once more, before slowwwly (was he trying to be dramatic?) moving his gloved hands, bending his wrists to point his closed fingers on either side of his helmet.

"The Great Saiyaman!" he announced while holding the pose.

Videl stared at him, not quite sure what she had just witnessed. Was this guy for real? Was this another one of her dreams? As little sense as that conclusion would make, seeing as she'd been dreaming about her future, not her present, it still seemed more plausible than anyone thinking that they weren't making a complete fool of themself with that godawful routine.

"He's so… ridiculous…" she mumbled to herself.

The superhero stood tall, apparently oblivious to the baffled stares he was getting, or maybe mistaking them for amazement.

"Resistance is futile," he told the crook, his voice booming with confidence and righteousness. "Cuff him, Videl."

Her brow creased as she picked up the pairs of handcuffs that she had thrown aside to properly kick the giant crook's ass. Not only did that guy know her name, but the way he addressed her didn't feel like they were strangers who had just now met for the first time. Videl may be a public figure and sometimes people recognized her, but they wouldn't usually use her name; she was more known as "Mr. Satan's daughter."

It had to be Gohan. It sounded like him, too. Yet, still, Videl wasn't one hundred percent sure. Granted, Gohan had proved yesterday that there was more to him than the shy new kid who got perfect scores at the school's entrance exams, what with his physical prowess at the baseball game, not to mention the way he lost his temper and showed that he could be quite stubborn too. And, yes, indeed, her visions of their ━ hopefully now erased ━ future together depicted that he could be pretty silly at times; the bizarre poses weren't that unfamiliar to Videl, come to think of it, though they were somewhat more toned down in her dreams.

Was it actually Gohan under the disguise? Videl was having trouble believing that she would've ended up falling for someone so lame and ridiculous if she hadn't known any better.

Meanwhile, the criminal gritted his teeth, his facial traits contorted with indignation, anger and fright all at the same time, looking as though getting caught by such an absurd character was the worst part of ending up in prison. It didn't look like he was ready to go down without a fight, however; he reached behind him and threw a smoke bomb at the Great Saiyaman's feet, before jumping in his air-car and making a run for it, his bazooka falling off the roofless vehicle from his reckless driving.

When the smoke cleared, neither the runaway perpetrator nor the superhero was on the road. Videl heard the Great Saiyaman say something from above and raised her head. Her breath hitched. He was floating up there, his cape flowing to the wind.

When the girl had no choice but to admit that her dreams were indeed visions of her future and not mere fabrications of her subconscious, she had also been forced to come to the unpleasant conclusion that her father was wrong when he affirmed that Cell had used tricks and hidden bombs to terrorize the people of Earth. But, in that case, it meant that the monster's super strength and superpowers had been real, and by extension, that everything Gohan and his friends and family could do was real too, that no magic tricks were involved.

Despite that knowledge, Videl felt amazement as she watched the superhero hover in mid-air with nothing holding him up. Maybe a part of her had hoped that her father had been right about the tricks, because it would mean that her dreams, while having some truth to them, may have had some fiction to them as well. It would mean that maybe she wouldn't have ended up as a bland housewife, that maybe she didn't need to worry about what she would become later and could just let her life follow its natural course.

"I won't let you get away!" shouted the Great Saiyaman before flying off after the lawbreaker.

He was definitely not using any tricks to fly. And that meant…

Videl swallowed thickly, the sound her throat made suddenly feeling deafening in the currently deserted road. She had pushed the thought far, far in the back of her mind, focusing on trying to find out more evidence on whether her visions depicted reality or fiction, distracting herself from the impending truth. She hadn't wanted to think about it or even address it, because it would mean that her whole life was a lie and her father was a fraud.

She sucked in a sharp breath. Her father was a fraud.

The Great Saiyaman floated back, holding the unconscious criminal by his suspenders. "What should we do with them, Videl? Bring them to the station?" He touched the ground and tossed the man over his knocked out accomplice.

Videl frowned. Once again, he was addressing her as though he knew her. So it was Gohan, wasn't it? As much as she had hoped it wouldn't be, everything seemed to point at her new classmate.

"We can leave them here," she replied. "I'll call the police with my communicator."

"Okay, good."

She squinted as she observed him from head to toe. He was the same height, roughly the same build, had the same voice… It had to be Gohan. But Videl wanted to make sure.

An idea formed in her head; it was silly and probably wouldn't work, yet some part of her believed that it was dumb enough to do the trick.

"Thanks for your help, Gohan," she said, making sure she sounded natural. "By the way, how did you get out of class?"

"Easy, I asked to go to the bathroom," he replied with a smile, stepping right into her trap. "I should hurry and get back, for that matter."

She turned her head and chuckled against the side of her hand. He didn't even notice. "Yeah, you should. See you later."

He beamed, then rose two fingers to his helmet in salute, "See you later, Videl."

And then he simply took off. Videl's lips twitched, and then she put her hand over her mouth to muffle her sudden fit of laughter. Doubled over, her other arm over her stomach, she laughed into her palm. She couldn't believe how gullible he was! He didn't even notice. It was like he forgot he was in disguise.

Damn him ━ he was adorable.

* * *

Gohan hummed a joyful tune to himself on his way back to school. What a nice change! Maybe Videl was starting to warm up to him. He was glad that she didn't seem to resent him after their altercation yesterday after school. Maybe they could become friends after all. She had even thanked him for his help in apprehending the perpetrators.

Wait a minute…

Gohan froze in mid-air for the second time that day, as his mind replayed his fresh exchange with Videl. His face fell. Just now… Videl had called him by his name ━ his real name, not his superhero one. Lowering his head to look at himself, he was indeed met with the green tunic of his disguise.

"Gah! I'm so stupid!" He tried hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand, but his helmet was in the way. Gohan grumbled to himself as he resumed flying. He really was an idiot.

How did she know it was him? And to think, he didn't even realize she had said anything out of the ordinary, stupidly answering her and confirming her guess for his identity. How could he let himself be fooled so easily?

She had to be psychic. How else would she have figured out who he was? His disguise was perfect; Videl shouldn't have been able to see through him that easily, let alone on the very first time he appeared before her as the Great Saiyaman.

Gohan landed on the roof of his school, heaving out a sigh as he pushed the button on his watch that replaced his cool costume with his everyday clothes. He had to talk with Videl. He had to find out exactly what she had on him and whether she planned to do anything with it. So far, she hadn't told anyone, and maybe she wasn't going to do anything, but he had to make sure.

In the meantime, he did need to hurry and get back to class. He hadn't been gone for too long at least, barely over ten minutes.

As he ran back to class, Gohan couldn't help wondering if his superhero career was over before it could properly begin. He hoped not ━ but it all depended on Videl now.

* * *

Beating up bad guys had a knack for working up her appetite, so, when the bell for the morning break went off, Videl was eager to buy herself some snacks and started toward the classroom's exit.

"Hey, Vi, where you off to?" Erasa called after her, standing on the elevated third row.

"I'm famished," she replied simply.

"Oh, yeah, good idea," Sharpner commented, getting to his feet. "I feel like some waffles."

Erasa turned to Gohan, who was done packing up but was still on his seat. "Wanna come with, Gohan?"

Videl scowled, glaring daggers at the blonde. This again? She just wanted to get herself some snacks, and not only did her friends invite themselves to come with her ━ which, okay, was a frequent occurrence and, no, she didn't really mind ━ but now Gohan was joining them too? Erasa couldn't keep ignoring her feelings like that. Even if, yes, it was rude to exclude Gohan and he was new there and all, Erasa couldn't keep trying to force them to become friends like this.

Slowly, Gohan stood, and his motion drew her gaze to him. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes seemed unfocused as he stared at the desk, his fingers drumming on the books that he held close to him.

"Actually," he said, raising his head and looking straight at her, his arms moving along his sides, and the shift was so abrupt that Videl didn't get the chance to avoid eye contact this time. A newfound determination shone through his coal eyes, and the girl found herself unable to look away. "Can I speak with you alone, Videl? It's really important."

The misleading inquiry was inevitably followed by a chorus of "Oooohhhh" among the kids who hadn't left the classroom yet. Gohan's head turned from side to side, a look of confusion on his face.

Videl gritted her teeth. That stupid boy. Didn't he realize what he just said sounded like? No, of course he didn't. His brain only seemed to be good for studying.

"Looks like the new kid has a crush," someone snickered.

"Hey, didn't Gohan run after Videl after school yesterday, for that matter?"

"Oh yeah, I heard about that."

"Way to go, Gohan! Good luck!" laughed someone else.

Her traits hardened and her fists clenched as her classmates snickered and giggled at the situation. Great. Just great. Now they were getting the wrong idea, which was exactly what she had wanted to avoid. If not for Gohan, they wouldn't have remembered that piece of gossip from yesterday. Damn that boy.

"It's got nothing to do with that. I don't have a crush on Videl," Gohan denied calmly, starting down the steps to the front of the classroom. He was so assured in his claim that it put a stop to the teasing at once. Just like that.

A contradictory feeling rose in her at that moment. Videl pursed her lips and turned on her heels. "Fine. You can come with me while I get something to eat."

She should be relieved at the turn of events, and more than that, at the fact that Gohan wasn't developing feelings for her ━ it was the intended goal to prevent her visions from coming true, after all. It made no sense at all that she would be upset after his honest affirmation.

* * *

Gohan stood aside, leaning back against the wall by the vending machine, silently watching Videl put in coins and make her choice. She picked up a bag of chips and wasted no time opening it. A sigh of content escaped through her nose as she munched on the salty snack, and the sight made Gohan crack a sideways smile.

"Didn't you have breakfast this morning?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.

Glancing his way, her narrowed eyes studied him, like she wasn't sure how she should take what he just said.

He scratched his hair. "Did I say something wrong?"

Videl shrugged, continuing to eat her chips. "Not really. But that's not what you really want to ask me, is it?"

"Um…" He took a step forward and looked around them, his head turning from side to side. While most kids seemed to have gone outside for the break, they weren't alone in the hallways. "Can we go somewhere more private?"

She waved him off, before mimicking his earlier position and leaning back against the wall. "It's fine. nobody's paying attention."

"Okay…" He was still reluctant to speak in the hallway, but Gohan figured he just needed to be vague enough so that anyone passing by wouldn't understand without context. "About earlier… How did you know…?"

He trailed off and looked at his feet, embarrassed that she figured him out so easily. What if she wasn't even psychic and he was just that bad at hiding his identity?

"I recognized your voice, and there was something about the way you spoke to me ━ like you knew me. Not to mention, you knew my name."

"Ah, geez…" He hid his blushing face in his hand. "I'm such an idiot…"

Videl turned her head to the side, a faint pink color tinting her cheeks as she continued eating. She scowled in annoyance. No, he wasn't cute. No, he wasn't cute, she kept repeating to herself in her head.

"Is that all?" she asked coldly, straightening up, eager to put an end to this conversation.

"Um…"

His hesitant tone made her look back at him, her frown deepening. What now? What else was there to talk about?

His voice lowered and he scratched his ear and shuffled his feet, his eyes downcast. "You're not going to tell anyone, right?"

She felt a slight pinch in her chest. She felt bad for him ━ Gohan just wanted to live a normal life, but he had been so sheltered growing up that he didn't even know how to appear normal.

"I won't tell anyone," she assured him, and Gohan looked up at her, a bright smile forming on his lips and lighting up his whole face. Her throat tightened.

This was bad. Despite everything, despite her fear of what she had seen in her dreams, despite his silly and lame performance as a superhero earlier, despite her best efforts ━ she was attracted to him, and she couldn't help it.

"But," she went on, and Gohan's smile toned down as he tilted his head in curiosity. "I'm asking you to stay away from me."

His eyebrows scrunched up. "This again…" He sighed. "I was hoping we could be friends. We'll be…" He trailed off and swept his gaze around them, before lowering his voice. "We'll be fighting crime together, too. Why can't we be friends?"

She looked sideways and bit her lip. "Because…"

Videl sighed, unable to come up with anything to explain why Gohan couldn't be in her life. She turned to him. "Look, you want me to keep your secret, right? So just do as I say and that's that."

Gohan crossed his arms, clearly not satisfied with her answer. He didn't say anything for a while, and Videl sighed once more, slowly finishing her bag of chips and stepping away from the wall.

His frown deepened as he watched her get ready to leave. He opened his mouth and inhaled, like he was about to say something, but in the end he closed it and pinched his lips together.

She put her hands on her hips. "What?"

Once again, he looked around to make sure nobody was in hearing range. A faint blush tinted his cheek as he turned back to her. "I was just… um… I was just wondering something…"

Videl tapped her foot, growing impatient by his hesitation. "Well? What is it?"

His eyes were serious as he asked, "Are you psychic?"

Videl raised her eyebrows at the question. She shifted her gaze sideways, holding her chin. Was she? Were her dreams the consequence of some psychic powers she didn't know she had?

"I… don't know," she answered honestly.

"Is that how you know about me? From your powers?"

In any case, Gohan didn't seem to have any trouble believing it to be true, which, in this day and age, was quite uncommon. Then again, she had just found out that her father's word was worth nothing, whereas Gohan had been aware of that fact all along.

"Can you… can you read minds?" he asked, his voice small, hesitant.

Videl gave him a weird look, amused at his conclusion. "No, I can't do that. I just have━" She stopped herself before blurting it out and shook her head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter how I know. Just be sure not to get in my way and we'll be good."

But, apparently, Gohan wasn't ready to let it go. "Did you see something bad? Does something happen to me, or to my closed ones? To my family?"

If she saw something bad… From her perspective, definitely, but that wasn't what Gohan meant, obviously.

His questions reminded her of something that had been nagging her since yesterday, and this was the perfect opportunity to bring it up to Gohan.

"Your dad. Is he really dead?"

Gohan blinked at her. "Well… yeah."

"Are you sure?"

He frowned in confusion. And then his eyes lit up, a broad smile spreading across his lips. "Wait, does that mean he comes back?"

She stared at him.

Wait, what?

"But you said he was dead…? How can he come back…?" It didn't make any sense.

Gohan opened his mouth, looking like he was about to answer her inquiries, but then he closed it and smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Videl took a step back and shook her hands in front of her. "No way. Forget it."

"Then I guess you'll never know," he said with a shrug, his palms upwards.

Videl grumbled, but she admitted that it was only fair. "Fine. As long as you keep your distance."

Gohan's shoulders slumped, his smile fading away. "Alright…" he said, heaving a deep sigh. "It's too bad, though," he added, a wistful look on his face. "I think we'd get along if you gave us a chance."

Videl lowered her head. That's just it. We'd get along a little too well.

Her heart clenched. This felt like a waste. Gohan was a genuinely nice guy; she knew it to be true, she had seen it in her dreams, and she had kept getting the confirmation since meeting him ━ but she had also seen where getting to know him would bring her, how loving him would change her, and that was something Videl simply could not accept.

"Sorry," she muttered ━ and a part of her truly was.

But she had to bottle it down, to lock it away and throw out the key. She had to take her destiny into her own hands.

* * *

From the back row behind Videl, a few seats to the left, Paige watched the pigtailed girl glance to the side where an oblivious Gohan was dutifully taking notes.

She had worried for a moment, earlier, when Gohan looked so serious and asked to talk to Videl alone. The teasing from their classmates that followed only made things worse – but then Gohan put an immediate stop to it by calmly refuting that he had that kind of feelings for Videl.

While that had been a relief, Paige had still been worried. When Gohan had said that, the look on Videl's face had seemed kind of... conflicted. Paige wished her powers included mind reading, but, alas, she couldn't know for sure what Videl had been thinking at that moment. But it felt as though...

Could it be that despite her best efforts, Videl was still developing feelings for the new addition in their class?

Of course, she knew Videl would never let anything happen thanks to the dreams she had put in her head, but something didn't sit right with Paige. One could never be too cautious. She had left the classroom shortly after them and followed after the pair. At times like these, Paige wished she could just bring her crystal ball at school again, but she couldn't take the risk of anyone finding it or worse, of misplacing the magical artifact. Yesterday, while it had come in handy, she'd been paranoid about someone catching her with it all day, and that kind of stress was too much for her.

So she contented with watching them from afar as they talked by the vending machine. Paige couldn't help the smirk playing on her lips at Videl's obvious animosity and reluctance to speak with Gohan.

And then something shifted in the atmosphere between them, and they looked like they were having a cordial conversation. Man, if only she could just summon her crystal ball. As powerful as her magic was, it was still limited in more ways than one.

Their talk seemed to end on a more somber note, which relieved the vengeful psychic. Her powers allowed her to feel the regret and wistfulness of the atmosphere between the two. Videl had her head lowered and Gohan sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. This could only mean good news for her.

Now, as she watched Videl steal glances in Gohan's direction every now and then, apparently unable to focus on the current lecture, a smirk of satisfaction was slowly forming on her lips.

Videl was starting to have feelings for Gohan. It was as obvious as water was clear. Which made this situation all the more enjoyable for Paige, because despite Videl's growing feelings for the handsome young man, Paige knew she would never act on them because of the visions of her distorted future that Paige had made her see in her dreams.

This was perfect. Videl was always going to wonder if she did the right thing, but she was never going to let herself be with the boy she would sooner or later fall deeply in love with – no matter how hard she tried not to. It would be even better if Gohan never actually developed that sort of feelings for Videl, making her love unrequited and causing her that much more suffering.

In fact, _she_ could ensure to keep Gohan's attention away from Videl. Glancing at the spiky-haired boy, Paige gave an appreciative smile at his handsome, boyish traits. He was certainly good-looking. And super sweet, too. It may be a long shot, but there was no harm in trying to get his attention, was it? She certainly wouldn't mind, not one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't read the chapters of the manga where Gohan goes to school (which is a shame because it's awesome), the first scene went pretty much like in the manga, only there Videl puts Gohan on the spot and blackmails him while they go back to school in her jetcopter. So, this is where I start to differ from the manga, since Videl doesn't blackmail Gohan and everything that follows is obviously affected by the changes that Videl's dreams provoked.
> 
> Thanks to Rockstone, Mr. Me, ie.heretic and Feedbacker for their help and company as I wrote. I finished the chapter last night after working on it for two days, and I'm pretty happy with the result. ^^ It hasn't been properly beta'd, but for now I'll have to make do I guess. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review, please. ^^
> 
> May 9, 2020


	6. His Accidental Physical Prowess

Birds chirped outside the window. Their songs sounded close, and Videl’s drowsy mind figured that they were perched on the balcony ledge again. It was a nicer way to wake up than to the shrill of her alarm clock, at least. She’d turned off said alarm clock before it could go off since she was already awake, for that matter.

She lay on her bed staring at the ceiling through half-lidded eyes. Her head was still hazy from sleep, and she had already forgotten what she’d dreamed about. Wasn’t about her life as the wife of Gohan, that was for sure. 

As much as that was a relief, Videl still couldn’t wrap her mind around what it could possibly mean. Was she even psychic at all, like Gohan had suggested? If so, why had the dreams stopped altogether for nearly a full week? Shouldn’t she be dreaming about her changed destiny now? If she truly had the ability to foresee the future, why had her visions only been focused on her life as the mellow housewife she never thought she could become? 

It felt as though she would never have the answers to those questions. 

As she got up and started getting ready for the day, a scowl tightened her traits. She hated unsolved mysteries. It was bad enough that she had to repress her curiosity about Gohan, but it didn’t look like she would ever know why or how she got those visions in the first place, either. 

Could it have been a temporary thing? It didn’t make any sense. Nothing seemed to make sense lately. Like at school, for instance. It was the end of Gohan’s first week there, and as the days went by, Videl couldn’t help but wonder how in the world nobody had the slightest clue that he wasn’t what he appeared to be ━ well, tried to, anyway. 

His superior intellect made him stand out for sure, but there was nothing abnormal about that. It may be a little off-putting at times, how effortlessly he aced all of the classes, but Gohan wasn’t the first academic genius to walk the Earth, after all. 

His accidental physical prowess, however, was another story. He would get weird looks when he ran tracks without breaking a sweat, or when he would throw a baseball too strong, or when he would effortlessly catch any soccer ball coming his way as the goalie. From time to time, he would try to look bad and purposely let a few in. 

Yet, at the same time, Gohan managed to blend in, waving off the curious stares or inquiries with an awkward smile or a nervous laugh, both of which often involved him scratching the back of his head.

And nobody else thought much of it, giving a shrug and not looking to understand. Videl didn’t get it. Keeping herself from asking Gohan a billion questions was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. It made her want to pull her hair and cry out in frustration. How could they not see that Gohan wasn’t like everyone else? How could they not make the connection between Gohan asking to go to the bathroom almost every time she got a call from the police, and the Great Saiyaman showing up to fight crime at each of those instances?

As his superhero alter-ego, Videl had to admit that he helped out a lot. He was quick and efficient if anything else. But he was still making a fool of himself with his ridiculous routine, what with the corny speeches and the weird poses. He always looked so proud of himself, too, as though he thoroughly believed that he was the coolest. At least he seemed to have fun with his new role.

He did keep his promise to stay away from her. Even when they happened to fight crime together, they barely interacted. He was still friends with Erasa, Sharpner, and most of their classmates really, so it wasn’t like he was missing anything in the socializing department. 

Erasa had been quite upset after Gohan told her he didn’t want to impose himself on Videl, who clearly didn’t want him around. The usually bubbly blonde had stomped toward her in the hallways during lunchtime and showed a rare moment of animosity.

“What is wrong with you?” she demanded to her best friend. “Gohan is, like, the sweetest guy ever! Why are you so mean to him? What has he done to you? Surely there must be something, because I honestly don’t understand why you would act this way.”

Videl had sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. For a brief moment, she considered telling her friend the truth. But the thought was quickly discarded: if Erasa ever found out what those damned visions had shown her, Videl was positive that she would try and play matchmaker and ruin everything.

“Look, Erasa, it’s nothing against him, and I’m not stopping you from being his friend.”

The blonde instantly calmed down, her shoulders relaxing. “Oh.”

“Just, don’t force me to hang out with him, alright?”

And the frown was back. “But why? Why are you so adamant to push him away?”

But what could she answer to that? The truth was out of the question, and she couldn’t think of any plausible explanation for her decision to keep away from Gohan. 

Videl came out of her musing when a plate was set on the table right before her. She didn’t really remember how she got to the dining room, getting through her morning routine on autopilot. 

“Thanks, uh… Penny?”

The maid smiled and nodded. She was a new addition to the staff and Videl was glad she got her name right.

“Wasn’t my father supposed to come back today?” she asked, her gaze sweeping around the dining room. The chair at the other side of the extra-long table was empty once again. 

“His trip has been extended. I’m sorry.”

She acknowledged the young woman’s sympathy with a nod of her head. Penny excused herself with a bow, and Videl sighed softly, picking up the silverware to start eating.

Her dad kept going on business trips lately. A part of her was relieved not to see him, because then, she would have to confront him about his lie to the world, which wasn’t something she was looking forward to. Another part of her was furious at him. What he had done was simply despicable. He’d made the whole world worship him like a god over a lie. She couldn’t believe he would do something like that. She felt betrayed; she’d always admired him and looked up to him, and she had honestly believed he had saved the world. She had been proud to be his daughter, even if stepping out of his shadow wasn’t always easy. And now…

Videl set her fork and knife on the table. She’d lost her appetite. 

Another part of her wished she didn’t know the truth. At least then, she wouldn’t know that she was the daughter of a fraud. 

* * *

A breeze rustled his hair and Gohan raised his head, leaning back against the tree trunk. He closed his eyes for a moment, and a small, content smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He kept his hand flat on the open Physics book that rested over his crossed legs so as not to lose his page while he took the time to appreciate the moment. The air might not as pure as back home in the mountains, but Gohan had to admit that Orange Star High School had beautiful open spaces.

His smile never leaving his face, he dipped his nose right back into the heavy book on his lap. He had found it from the school library under the education section. Never had he been more thrilled to know that these houses of knowledge would have college-grade textbooks just waiting for him, for free, to browse at his leisure.

“Yo, Gohan!”

The studious boy looked up at the familiar voice and his lips dug further into his cheeks as his friend Sharpner jogged up to him. Upon reaching him, the long-haired blond rolled his eyes and made a face.

“C’mon, dude, lose the book and come play soccer with us. We’re missing a player and I want you as my goalie.”

Things had certainly changed since Gohan’s first day of school. Sharpner, especially, had done a complete one-eighty. On that first day, he had been adamant that he did not want Gohan on his team, convinced that nerds couldn’t play sports. Yet, over the week, and despite Gohan’s best efforts to appear normal, his abilities made him stand out, and, as a result, he had now become Sharpner’s first pick every time they played a team sport. At least, nobody seemed to suspect that he was much, much stronger than he let on.

Well, nobody else. Videl was another story. That girl was too sharp for her own good, and her hypothetical psychic powers definitely didn’t work in his favor. 

But it looked like he was in the clear with everyone else. And, as a bonus, the jocks came to like him and would often invite him to play with them or hang out after school. 

Gohan usually declined. For one thing, he wasn’t quite confident that he could control his strength enough and not hurt someone by accident during a game. PE class was strenuous enough. 

“Is Videl playing too? You know she’s been avoiding me…” he said with a grimace, head tilted to the side.

That was the other thing. Videl was an athlete and she often played with the boys, therefore, Gohan had no choice but to keep his distance with her. 

Some part of him didn’t honestly think that Videl would actually out him in the event that he broke his side of the deal. But a promise was a promise, and Gohan was the kind of person who believed that giving one’s word meant something. 

He still had no idea what that girl knew about him or how, although it did sound like some kind of magic was involved. She definitely knew things about him, and that was excluding that time she had only needed her deductive mind to figure out that he was the Great Saiyaman on his very first encounter with her as a superhero. The memory of her tricking him still made him feel like the biggest fool.

He wished she would tell him more about what she’d seen. Would his father really come back?

Sharpner rolled his eyes at his inquiry. “It’s fine. I made sure to ask her and she’s okay with you joining in.”

Gohan raised his eyebrows. “She is?” 

Now that was a surprise. Although he was always a little bit on the fence about playing any kind of sport at school, especially team sports, for fear of hurting someone by accident, so far nothing of the sort had happened. And, Gohan had to admit, it did sound like fun. 

“Alright then.” He put a bookmark in the borrowed book and stood, facing a grinning Sharpner. “Let me just put this in my locker. Besides, I need to get my running shoes too.”

Sharpner laughed and gave him a strong pat on the back. “You’re such a nerd, Gohan.”

The spiky-haired boy smiled at the friendly teasing. He had learned over the past week that this was simply how Sharpner acted with his pals. 

* * *

As far as Videl and Gohan were concerned, things seemed to go perfectly. They actually looked like they were purposely avoiding each other, which Paige couldn’t be happier about. But she, herself, hadn’t been able to make any progress with the boy over the week. She had introduced herself to him and even flirted with him, but her advances seemed to fly high, very high over his head. He was completely oblivious as to the interest she not-so-sublty showed towards him. Gohan was one dense boy, that was for sure.

She had meant to look for him during the break but Sharpner had gotten to him first and coersed him into joining in a game of soccer. Oh, well. There was no rush anyway. What mattered most was Videl’s certain unhappiness, and seeing her actively avoid the potential love of her life was quite enjoyable, for sure.

Paige contented herself with watching the ongoing soccer game. Videl and Gohan were on opposite teams, but the psychic girl wasn’t worried in the least. Even if Videl receeded and agreed to play soccer with Gohan, Paige figured it was probably because Sharpner pestered her until she relented. It didn’t mean she was warming up to him or letting her guard down. She was just doing a friend a favor by accepting Gohan in their game.

There was definitely more to the new kid than he let on. He was an exceptional athlete despite not looking like one, easily rivaling someone as strong and skilled as Videl. It was no wonder that it took someone so smart and strong to catch Videl’s attention. Too bad for them, Paige had no intention to let things go as fated. There would be no happily ever after for them, and especially for Videl. Paige would make sure of that. Gohan would probably be better off without that pain in the ass anyway.

The girl quickly got bored of the game and decided to occupy her time in another manner for the remeaning time of the break. There would be other opportunities to ask Gohan out. She wasn’t in any rush, and there was always next week. She planned to practice her magic skills this weekend anyway.

* * *

They had about twenty minutes left out of the thirty-minute long midday break. For Gohan, the goalie position was the safest choice. Here, in front of the net, he needn’t worry about running too fast, or kicking the ball too strong, or accidentally hurting another player who would be trying to tackle him and whatnot. Here, his one duty was to watch the game and be ready to catch the ball.

Videl was the only girl playing, and she was in the opposing team. Correction: she was captain of the opposing team. She and Sharpner usually led the games, whether in PE or just for fun.

The white and black ball skyrocketed straight for the side of the net once more. Videl’s leg was still up in the air after the powerful kick, but Gohan was quick to dive to the ball and caught it between his gloved hands, doing a flip to land on his feet in a crouched position. 

His team cheered for him while the opposing side groaned. Gohan gave an awkward smile. He wondered if any of them would have been able to catch the shot. Was it too much? Should he take it down a notch? Or maybe a few dozens of notches?

Not trusting his kicks, Gohan gently threw the ball to one of his teammates. He winced as the midfielder stopped it with his torso and had to take a step back from the hit. But the game resumed and the other boy seemed fine; Gohan sighed in relief.

The ball was passed around a few times, until Sharpner got the ball and ran straight for the goal. An opposing midfielder got in his way, but the team captain skillfully swiveled around to dodge the tackle ━ only to come face to face with Videl, who was far from finished yet. This time, Sharpner had trouble going past her, so he passed the ball to another forward player.

But Videl was able to get in the middle and rushed past them with the ball. The opposing team passed it around, and Gohan crouched slightly, getting ready to catch a possible new goal attempt. 

Videl had the ball again. She sure was something, that girl. Gohan couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corner of his lips at the fiery tenacity in her eyes. She was determined to score a goal, he could tell as much. Even knowing about his abilities, Videl wasn’t letting that fact bring her down, and Gohan had a feeling that she wouldn’t like it if he let her win a point on purpose.

She was getting ready to shoot, and Gohan’s eyes narrowed slightly. His instinct told him that she was going to try a feint ━ and he’d been right. Videl passed the ball at the last moment instead of attempting to score, and without missing a beat, Gohan dove as another forward kicked the shot. He stopped the ball with his fist ━ but the hit had been too strong and the ball went flying all across the other side of the field; it hurtled by so fast that everyone’s reflex has been to get out of its way.

Gohan laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head as everyone stared at him. Man, that had been too close. Anyone getting in the way of that ball could’ve gotten seriously hurt.

Videl was frowning at him, clearly having the same thought.

The bell rang at that moment, saving Gohan the trouble to explain himself. Neither team had managed to score a goal in the end.

“Man, Gohan, you sure pack a punch,” Sharpner commented as they headed back to class. “You positive you don’t want to join the boxing club?”

As usual, the demi-Saiyan responded with an awkward chuckle. 

* * *

Gohan headed for the roof like every day after school so he could take off from there and head home. He opened the door of the enclosed area that housed the staircase and stepped outside, closing it behind him.

“You know you suck at hiding your powers, right?”

The voice made him jump. Dang, he really needed to keep his guard up at all times, didn’t he? Going to school was going to be exhausting at this rate.

He made a face. “Yeah, I know…”

Then again, nobody was supposed to be on the roof. He certainly hadn’t expected to see Videl, of all people, waiting for him there, let alone to talk to him. She had made herself clear that she didn’t want to be friends, even though she wouldn’t say why or what she had seen with her psychic powers that would make her want to stay away from him. Still, Gohan had been honoring his end of the deal and keeping his distance.

She was leaning against the wall by the door, her arms crossed as she observed him with squinted eyes.

“And yet, somehow, nobody suspects you.” The girl shook her head. “I don’t get it. You’re so obvious, and nobody seems to care.”

Gohan frowned and tilted his head in confusion. “Isn’t that a good thing for me?”

“I guess. You could’ve hurt someone earlier, though. You’re usually less… show-off-y when you play a team sport during PE.”

He scratched his hair at the back of his head, a slight blush tinting his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to show off, but I guess I was having fun. And, well…”

He trailed off and Videl focused her deep blue eyes on him. Her undivided attention troubled him and he looked away.

“I had a feeling that you wouldn’t have liked it if I’d let you score a goal on purpose.”

“That’s a good guess,” she said. “I appreciate that.”

He glanced at her, wondering if she somehow had a change of heart, or maybe if she “saw” something new that made her let her guard down around him. 

He wanted to ask her, but his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Gohan wasn’t sure why. Maybe he was enjoying the atmosphere between them and didn’t want to ruin it. Maybe he liked that she wasn’t avoiding eye contact with him like she usually would, even though her clever gaze somewhat rattled him.

“You should still work on hiding your powers better, though,” she said, her expression turning serious. “Even though nobody seems to have a clue, you kinda feel like a ticking time bomb to me, and I wouldn’t want some poor sap to get hurt when you’re not being careful enough.”

His lips pursed in understanding. Gohan nodded his head. “You’re right.”

So that was the reason that caused Videl to talk to him. Perhaps she’d been testing him earlier during the soccer game, to see if he could be a danger to their peers. As much as the mere idea sickened him, Gohan had to admit that there was more than some truth to it ━ especially after what happened right before the bell rang.

His face hardened. “I’ll work on it. You don’t have to worry.”

She nodded her head sharply and turned to the roof exit. “That’s good to know.”

She was about the close the door behind her when Gohan suddenly piped, “Have a nice weekend!”

Videl looked at him over her shoulder and gave a smirk. “You too.” 

After she was gone, Gohan stood there listening to the sound of her steps until she was too far down for his hearing to pick up.

Letting out a deep sigh, the boy turned his back to the staircase house and looked at the sky. An idea was forming in his head. Pushing the red button on his watch, he transformed in the Great Saiyaman and flew off, not taking his usual route home.

He needed to train. It was as simple as that. Vegeta was right: the years of peace had made him too soft. At home, Gohan only needed to watch out his strength enough not to break stuff, which didn’t demand that much effort. But while playing a sport, that was a different story. PE class was strenuous enough, and if he wanted to partake in team games during class breaks as well, the demi-Saiyan knew he would need to have a better grasp of his ki.

And he knew the perfect candidate to help him with his predicament.

He’d been meaning to visit Piccolo anyway.

* * *

_May 30, 2020_


	7. Her Stupid Heart

The powerful right cross almost hit her in the headgear. Videl ducked under it, stepped inward, and used the momentum to throw a devastating uppercut at Sharpner. The blow would have knocked him out if not for the protective headgear.

She gave her sparring partner a moment to regain his bearings, pulling her gloved fists up into a rudimentary guard while bouncing lightly on her feet, one after the other.

Boxing was a good way to better her rhythm and train her upper body, seeing as Videl was accustomed to employing more than just her fists in a fight. It also gave her a handicap against Sharpner, who was more used to this combat style than she.

Sharpner shook his head and blinked his eyes. He rubbed the side of his jaw with the back of his gloved hand, started to say something, but his mouth protection made it a difficult task so the young boxer spat it in his other glove.

"Geez, Videl, you don't pull your punches, do you?" he said in a joking tone.

The girl straightened up, her arms dropping at her sides. She figured they might as well take a break. Glancing at the clock hanging high on the wall of the gym, it told her that they had been sparring for over an hour.

Spitting her mouth protection in her glove, Videl smirked. "I thought you were tough enough to take it. My bad."

He glared at her playfully. "Show off."

She scoffed and grinned at the same time, unable to keep a straight face at the irony. "Look who's talking, Mister I-Flex-My-Biceps-Every-Chance-I-Get."

He rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips as he crossed his gloved hands behind his head, effectively showing off his muscular arms by the bend the motion created. "Whatever do you mean?"

Videl muffled a laugh into her glove. She shook her head in amusement, the grin not leaving her face. "Anyway, let's go get something to drink. I'm parched."

"Yeah, me too," Sharpner agreed.

* * *

The sound of the waterfall behind him strengthened his focus. Piccolo was hovering beside him, mirroring his position as they meditated together. Arms and legs crossed, Gohan's breathing was slow and deep as he worked on his ki, remodeling it as he wished, polishing it until he could have complete control of its immeasurable power.

His ear twitched as a gleeful laugh resounded from somewhere below them.

"Don't lose your focus," grumbled Piccolo. Gohan's brow furrowed as he did his best to obey his mentor, concentrating his hearing on the white noise of the waterfall behind him.

It probably wasn't the best idea to bring Goten along ━ but how could he have said no when his little brother looked at him with big, pleading eyes while he asked if he could come with? He wasn't made of stone.

Goten had tried meditating with them at first, but the seven-year-old's attention span didn't last. The little boy had quickly given up and had been playing with the wild animals of the forest since.

Another sound coming from below, this time a shriek of surprise followed by a light _thud_ , and then another burst of laughter. Gohan's shoulders hunched and he let slip a deep sigh through his lips.

"You used to be better at this," Piccolo grunted, straightening up from the meditation position in the air, arms still crossed as he looked down at him.

"I didn't use to have a very distracting little brother," Gohan mumbled in defense, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. He imitated the Namekian and uncrossed his legs to "stand" in mid-air.

"Hmph. It's no wonder you're having trouble controlling your strength at this school of yours."

Unable to meet his mentor's eyes, Gohan hung his head. He could pick up the disappointment in Piccolo's voice, and he hated that.

"It's been a while…" he said softly. "I shouldn't have discarded my training over the years like I did; I know that now."

"I don't blame you. You, more than anyone, deserved a break. Seven years sounds like a decent enough one."

Looking up at his mentor, a small smile formed on his lips. "Thanks, Piccolo."

"Take a break for now. We'll work more on your training tomorrow when there will be less… distractions." Piccolo shifted his gaze to the adorable little boy down below, playing with a baby pterodactyl who was licking his face and making Goten laugh. Gohan's eyes softened at the endearing sight.

Maybe he could show his little brother around Satan City for the rest of the day. Goten had been begging to go to school with him this past week. Obviously, Gohan couldn't take the seven-year-old with him to class, but since it was the weekend and his day had just cleared, they had all the time in the world to visit the city. Gohan hadn't seen much of it himself, for that matter, except for his trips to and from school, as well as his brief stops to fight crime as the Great Saiyaman. But that wasn't enough to really know a place.

"Hey, Goten!" he called to draw his little brother's attention. Goten gently pushed the winged dinosaur off of him and grinned at his big brother. "Want to go to Satan City?"

Goten's eyes lit up. Gohan chuckled to himself.

* * *

Sharpner handed her a bottle of bubbly water before sitting down on the bench beside her with his own drink. While she brought the rim of the bottle to her lips, a glance at the other teen's choice of drink made the girl frown.

"You shouldn't have an energy drink after a workout, Sharpner," Videl berated after wiping her mouth. "It worsens dehydration."

"It's fine. I'll get something else later. Unless you're willing to share your water bottle?" he added in a joking tone.

She rolled her eyes. "Get your own bottle."

Her friend snickered. Videl let a smile curve her lips. She and Sharpner had been friends since elementary school, and they had been sparring partners for nearly as long. Even when Sharpner decided boxing was more his groove, Videl simply chose to add the discipline into her fighting style.

Watching him out of the corner of her eyes while they both sipped on their drinks, the girl played with the idea of telling him at least a part of what had been going on with her in the past week.

She was more than reluctant to say anything to _anyone_ , though, not even to her closest friends. While Sharpner certainly wouldn't try and play matchmaker like she knew Erasa would, Videl was too ashamed of what she could have become in the future to let slip anything about her visions.

"Hey, Sharpner," she started, her words slow. "Can I ask you something?"

He shrugged and nodded his head, leaning back on the bench into a more comfortable position with his arms on the backrest. "Shoot."

"What would you do if…?" Videl bit her lower lip, not quite sure how to formulate her thought. She figured that, if she could be vague enough, perhaps she could relieve some of the weight that her secret had put in her chest since meeting Gohan.

The long-haired teen quirked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah?" he said, encouraging her to keep going.

"If… you had dreams of a person that you've never met before, and then you meet them in real life, and the dreams suddenly stop. What would you think that means?"

He sat up and turned to her fully, his forehead creasing. "I'm not sure I understand. What's your relationship with the person in those dreams?"

Videl averted her gaze, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. Unseen to her, Sharpner widened his eyes as something clicked in his head.

"Wait… You don't mean…"

She quickly got up, avoiding eye contact at all costs. "Never mind."

"It's not about Gohan, is it?"

His accurate guess made her look at him dumbly. _Now_ he was receptive? He who had not the slightest clue about Gohan and his real capabilities, who let any weird thing Gohan had done over the past week slide right off him… _Now_ he decided to be cunning? _Seriously_?

Apparently, the look on her face gave her away, for Sharpner took her reaction as a positive answer.

"Wait, so you've had dreams about Gohan _before_ meeting him?" He blinked. "That's so weird."

She looked away again, her blush taking over her whole face. She tried to hide it with her hand, but to no avail.

"I _really_ don't want to talk about it," she mumbled into her palm. How she wished she could erase the past few minutes from existence… But it was too late now. Why did she have to open her big mouth?

Sharpner inhaled and was about to say something, but Videl beat him to it.

"Anyway, let's get back to training!" she pretty much shouted, drawing the attention of all the people training in the gym. They stared at her after her outburst, and Videl's already bright blush somehow worsened.

She _really_ should've kept her mouth shut. Now somebody _knew_. Ugh.

* * *

In the end, Videl had been too embarrassed to continue sparring with Sharpner. She had slipped away to take a shower before going back home, which was only five minutes away on foot.

The girl was long used to the extravagance of the front yard and the mansion. She didn't really see the cropped grass, the fountain, the statues depicting her ego-absorbed father. She didn't want to see all of it, perhaps. It only reminded her that she was the daughter of a fraud.

When she went through the front door, a surprise was awaiting her. Mr. Satan had come back from his trip and had rushed in to welcome her back.

She didn't want his hug, yet she melted into it. Her eyes stung. She didn't want to believe it to be true. He was a good man despite his flaws. He was her papa, and he'd always done his best to take care of her on his own. How could he do something so low, so appalling? And for what? Just so the world would worship him? Was that the kind of man who raised her? A man so greedy for attention and glory that he would lie to the whole world?

And why would Gohan and the rest of the group let him, for that matter? Why wouldn't they come forth and confront him about his lie?

From what she knew of Gohan, it was pretty easy to guess that he didn't want nor seek the attention it would've given him. But what about the other fighters? Were they really okay with her father badmouthing them while he stole the credit for their accomplishment?

Mr. Satan pulled back and frowned when he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

But she couldn't look at him. She couldn't even bring herself to confront him about what he had done. "Nothing."

Her voice was small, and, naturally, her poor act wasn't fooling her father.

"Then why won't you look at me?"

He sounded genuinely hurt. Videl shut her eyes tightly.

_Because I know what you did and it makes me sick just thinking about it._

"Never mind. I'm going for a run."

And just like that, she was out the door again, leaving her father without a clue as to what was going on with her.

Well, let him stew in confusion for a while. In the meantime, she needed to blow off some steam. Besides, she hadn't been done with training today, not really.

Not that it mattered all that much anymore. At least, training for the tournament didn't make that much sense now. The World Martial Arts Tournament, also known as the Tenkaichi Budokai, was supposed to declare who the strongest martial artist in the world was. But, with the existence of people like Gohan who wouldn't be competing for the championship, it meant that this year, no matter the outcome, the winner of the Tenkaichi Budokai would not be the number one fighter in the world. Even if she won, even if she had actually managed to surpass her father who was the running champion, it wouldn't mean squat if the best martial artist wasn't even competing.

And so she ran, tuning out her thoughts as she focused on the wind whistling in her ears. She knew that she should pace herself or she would run out of stamina too soon, but Videl couldn't allow herself to slow down. She needed the rush of endorphin that running at top-speed provided. It was the only way to block the sound of her own thoughts. She wished she could forget about her father, the tournament, Gohan, and everything that she used to dream about. If only…

When she reached the town park, her breathing was heavy and erratic. Yet Videl kept pushing through her limits, ignoring the strain in her legs as she forced them to keep up the same rapid pace. Even when she felt that her lungs were about to give out, Videl wouldn't slow down.

And then a familiar face entered her field of vision and her eyes widened. Standing by the lakeside, Gohan blinked as his gaze met hers and his head followed her while she passed behind him.

Seeing him of all people, now of all times, it made her lose her concentration. As a result, Videl twisted her foot and tripped, but before she could hit the ground two strong arms wrapped around her and stopped her fall.

"Woah there, careful."

Gohan had caught her.

Her heart was going crazy, pounding hard in her chest, but Videl told herself that it was only because she had been running at top-speed for who knew how long. Same for her flushed face. She was just flushed from exertion and nothing more.

It certainly wasn't because Gohan was holding her against him. Nope. That had nothing to do with it.

He let go of her and asked if she was okay. Videl was still breathing heavily and it made it difficult to speak, so she nodded her head.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, his eyebrows scrunching up while his head tilted slightly.

She raised her hand and nodded once more to signal that yes, she was fine. But the glint of worry wasn't leaving his coal eyes. It didn't help that her breathing still hadn't calmed down.

"Who's this, Gohan? Do you know her?"

The sudden appearance of the little boy startled her. It was Goten, Gohan's little brother, only he looked a few years younger than the boy she had seen in some of her dreams.

"Wait, you look familiar…" Goten said slowly, his face scrunching up as he held his chin and observed her face carefully.

Finally catching her breath, Videl couldn't help smiling at the adorable expression.

"It's…" Gohan started, but his little brother beat him to it, hitting his palm with his fist.

"Oh, I remember! I saw you on TV! You're that girl who fights crime alongside Gohan!"

Gohan winced. "Goten, don't shout that in public…"

The little boy put his hands over his mouth, his voice coming out muffled as he said, "Sowy…"

Gohan scratched his hair. "Anyway, this is Goten, my little brother."

 _I know,_ Videl couldn't help but think.

"And, yes, Goten, that's Videl, and she does fight crime," Gohan added with a gentle smile as he addressed his brother.

The look on his face made her chest tighten. She was reminded of the way he would gaze at _her_ in her dreams, the love in his eyes transparent. Videl pinched her lips together. She had to warn herself what loving _him_ might do to her personality. As happy as they seemed in that future, the price for it was just too high to pay.

"Anyway, uhm…" Gohan cleared his throat. "I won't be taking more of your time… Let's go, Goten."

"Already?" pouted the cute little boy, crossing his arms for emphasis. "But I wanted to stay with Videl…"

Gohan gave her a nervous look. She knew what he was thinking ━ and not because she could read his mind, thank you very much. He was trying not to break his promise to stay away from her.

"It's fine…" She massaged her neck, letting out a sigh. "You don't have to go."

Goten cheered, throwing his fist up and jumping a little too high for a kid his age, while Gohan looked at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Are you sure?"

No, she wasn't. She probably shouldn't stay in their company at all. But after the day she just had, what with failing to confide in Sharpner as well as getting cold feet about confronting her father on his wrongdoings, the change of scenery was more than welcome.

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

Besides, Gohan may be the only person she could ever talk to about her father. She wasn't even sure her own friends would believe her if she ever stated anything negative about her father. Mr. Satan had brainwashed the lot of them. To them, he could do no fault, he was the hero, the world savior. Even if Videl tried to tell them the truth, she wasn't sure they would believe her.

Was it a risk she was willing to take, though? Was she right to let her guard down just because she hadn't had any dreams since actually meeting Gohan? Was it even a good idea to spend any time with him?

Looking at his smile, Videl couldn't help thinking that she was in big trouble.

* * *

They went to the playground area so Goten could have some fun with other kids. Gohan gave him clear instructions about keeping his strength in check and to not do anything weird.

Videl couldn't help throwing him a look at that. Like he was one to talk. Gohan didn't notice, ever the clueless guy, and simply motioned to a bench where they could keep an eye on Goten.

She fiddled with her thumbs. As much as she wanted, no, needed to talk to someone about what she was going through, even just a small part of it, Videl had no idea how to bring it up.

Gohan eventually broke the silence. "Can I ask you something?"

She looked at him and gave an ironic smile. "You can ask, but I can't promise that I'll answer."

"Fair enough." Gohan's eyes lowered and his brow furrowed in thought. "You've had visions of my future, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"And it's what you've seen that caused you to avoid me, correct?" He looked up at her at that, his expression serious.

Videl had a feeling she knew where he was going with that. "Yes. And no, I can't tell you why."

His frown deepened. "Why not?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you either."

His lips pursed in dissatisfaction as his gaze turned to the playground. Videl followed suit, seeing Goten sitting on a swing with a big grin on his face, as though he had not a care in the world as he swung back and forth. Videl cracked a smile at the sight. He sure was a cute kid. And at the same time, the teenage girl found herself envying the little boy's carelessness. If only she could be that age again…

"What about my dad? Could you tell me about him?" Gohan asked. "Did you see him alive in the future?"

Videl lowered her eyes to her hands, a frown taking up her features. "I did… Does that mean he's not really dead?"

She turned to him once more. Gohan was grinning. "No, he is, but it does mean that he'll come back."

"But that's impossible."

He chuckled. "Remember after the Cell Games, how everyone Cell killed came back to life?"

She stared at him. "Well… Everyone assumed they weren't really dead, that Cell only pretended to have killed them and had been hiding them in order to terrorize everyone, and that killing Cell made them come back…"

"I'm aware. But that's not what happened. They were indeed dead, but they were brought back."

"How?"

She knew he wasn't going to answer like last time, but she had to ask. Dead people coming back to life? How could it be possible?

Gohan's eyes softened, a gentle smile on his lips. "We wished them back."

"What are you talking about?"

She hadn't thought he would say anything. She figured he would keep the information for himself as leverage until she told him what he wanted to know. _I guess it's not like him to do something like that…_

"Dragon Balls," Gohan replied. "There are seven of them scattered in the world, and once you reunite them, you can summon the sacred dragon who can grant wishes. Even bringing dead people back to life."

His explanation sounded straight out of a fantasy book. A week ago, Videl would have scoffed at the mere notion. Now, however, after she'd had proof that her dreams were indeed visions of her future, discrediting the existence of magic became a lot more complicated.

"Then why didn't you bring your father back like you did with everyone else?"

"That's…" Gohan paused, scratching his hair at the side of his head. "Well, there are some rules to using the Dragon Balls. One of them is that we can't wish for the same thing twice, and my dad had already been brought back once before."

"So that means… he's died twice?" Videl felt ridiculous saying it out loud, but she knew Gohan was telling the truth. He had no reason to lie to her, and he had even fewer reasons to make it all up, so she decided to just go along with it. "But wait… That's not right. If there are rules, and if your dad can't be brought back anymore, then how can he be alive in my visions?"

Gohan shrugged. "I figure we would have used the Dragon Balls from Namek. It's the planet they're from, and they don't have the same restrictions over there."

Her breath hitched. "Another… planet?"

Gohan tilted his head. "I thought you knew."

"I… I don't know all that much," she admitted. "I know that you have superpowers, and that you can turn blond at will…" She swallowed, her voice lowering to a whisper. Another planet… Did that mean…? "Are you an alien?"

He averted his gaze, staring at his hands on his lap. "My father was," he said in a low voice. "My mom isn't. I guess you could say I'm a half-breed. So is my brother."

So he was half-alien… After everything she had learned over the past week, the information, which should've shocked her, barely even phased her.

Videl observed his profile in detail, trying to figure him out. "Why are you telling me everything? I didn't return the favor."

Gohan shrugged. "It's nice having someone my age to talk to about these things, I guess." He looked back at her and a gentle smile formed on his lips. "And, I don't know, it's kinda easy to talk to you."

Videl found herself unable to look away. Her face felt warm, and her chest felt tight with something she didn't want to dwell on. But she couldn't deny the truth anymore.

Damn it. She definitely had a crush on him. Despite her best effort to avoid him at school, their few encounters had somehow been enough for her stupid heart to develop feelings for Gohan.

And she couldn't help wondering if, maybe, Gohan was going through the same thing. She hated herself for hoping that he was.

"By the way, about what you mentioned earlier," Gohan said. "I wouldn't call my abilities "superpowers", even if they do seem that way. I mean, the "turning blond" thing, as you put it, that's from my alien side, yeah. But how I can fly and shoot blasts from my hands ━ that's martial arts. I don't know who else you've seen in your visions, but most of them are simply talented martial artists who pushed their limits."

Well, whether Gohan had feelings for her or not, he was certainly comfortable enough to open up to her.

"Martial arts…"

Did that mean she could learn how to do the stuff Gohan could? That she could become bulletproof too? That she would even _fly_?

"You could learn to do it too," he said, as though he'd read her mind. Or maybe her expression was just that transparent. "I could teach you if you want."

Her face lit up at the prospect ━ but Videl shook her head, quickly discarding the idea. What was she thinking? She couldn't ask him to teach her ━ she shouldn't even be having this conversation with him! What if her dreams had been a passing thing, that whatever psychic power she somehow stumbled upon was just gone now, and the absence of dreams _didn't_ mean that she was safe from the future she had foreseen? What if, at the beginning of the week when she was avoiding him, she had successfully diverted from her initial path where she ended up marrying Gohan, but now her effort amounted to nothing because she had let her guard down?

Was free will but an illusion? It couldn't be her destiny to end up with Gohan, could it? Surely she had some say in the matter, didn't she?

Looking at him now, and how his mere presence affected her, Videl wasn't sure what to believe.

She suddenly stood. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I should go."

Gohan frowned. "What's wrong?"

She decided to tell him the truth. It should make him understand why they couldn't be friends. "Well, there's a reason that I've been avoiding you, as you said. And that reason is still there."

"Oh." His face crumpling, Gohan hung his head and heaved a deep sigh. "I see…"

Her throat tightened. His expression was heartbreaking. She remembered what he said about being able to talk to someone his age for once, and she felt a pinch in her chest.

Why would marrying him change her so much? That part, Videl had always had trouble believing. How could she let herself become so mellow and bland just because she got married? Was that her destiny regardless of who she ended up with? What about free will? Could she simply choose not to become the doting housewife who somehow lost her fire?

"Well, thanks for hanging out with me regardless," Gohan said, lifting his eyes to her, a small, wistful smile on his lips. "It was nice."

A lump rose in her throat. This still felt like a waste.

Quick steps approached them. Videl and Gohan turned as one to see Goten running towards them.

"Hey, are you leaving?" the little boy asked Videl.

"Yeah, sorry." She smiled and patted his head. "Did you have fun on the swing?"

"Oh, yeah! But, you know, the one at Trunks' is super sturdy, so I can go a lot faster when I'm there. It's even more fun!"

His best friend's mention made her pause for a moment. She wasn't supposed to know Trunks was his best friend for that matter, or that he was the son of Bulma and Vegeta. Since Trunks could "turn blond" as well, Videl assumed that he was also half-alien, like Gohan and Goten. That meant Vegeta was an alien.

"That's nice," she said.

Videl bid goodbye to the brothers, but when she looked back, her heart gave another pinch at the look on Gohan's face. The light in his coal eyes was faint, subdued.

It had been cruel of her to lead him on when she couldn't allow herself to become his friend like he obviously wanted. And, in the end, she didn't even get to talk about her father.

And yet, Videl didn't feel like that discussion had been a waste. It had been a dumb risk, but not a waste. She had learned new things, and her dreams made more sense now. She finally had the answers she wanted about Gohan's father, as well as about Gohan himself and what made him so strong.

"See you at school," Gohan said, waving at her as he stood beside his brother.

She turned away and went along her way. She was doing the right thing, wasn't she?

* * *

_June 6, 2020_


	8. His Adorable Sidekick

Her steps were deliberately slow as she walked on the pavement, not in any rush to get home. But, at the same time, Videl knew that she was simply delaying the inevitable. She had to confront her father and she couldn't put it off any longer.

About halfway through, Videl sighed, her shoulders slumping, and pulled out her jetcopter capsule. She might as well get it over with.

As she flew the rest of the way home, her fingers drummed on the joystick and her leg wouldn't stay in place. Her chest felt tight and heavy, and the girl regretted not taking the opportunity to talk to Gohan about her father. Maybe it would've made things easier.

Much sooner than she felt ready for, Videl flew the jetcopter down unto the landing pad at the back of the property. And she just sat there for a while, unable to make herself get out of the safety of her vehicle to confront the truth.

Her face scrunched up in disgust. When did she become such a coward? Since when was she the kind of person who would let her fears take control of her actions, of her _life_? This couldn't go on. She couldn't keep being scared all the time ━ scared of what she could turn into, scared to face the truth, scared to confront her father.

Well, screw being scared. With a new determination shining in her eyes, Videl got off her jetcopter and marched to the front entrance. This time, she wasn't getting cold feet; she wasn't letting her fears get the better of her. She was going to look her father in the eyes and ask him what really happened.

And that was exactly what she did.

Once she got home, she hadn't needed to go looking for her father because he was already waiting for her ━ which wasn't surprising given the way she had run off earlier. He asked her what was going on, what that had been about, and he was showing a scarcely-seen serious expression on his face. Gathering her courage, her fists clenched at her sides, Videl stood tall and told him she needed to talk to him in private, giving a pointed look around them: they were in the entrance hall and a few members of the staff were busying about in the open living area behind Mr. Satan.

The man gave her a questioning look, and Videl said, "Let's go to your office."

Her heart was racing as her father slowly nodded his head and turned around. She followed him, pushing down any emotion that would get in the way of her goal. She had decided she would confront him and nothing was going to stop her, especially not herself and those blasted fears. She was stronger than them, and Videl was ready to prove it to herself.

"So, what is it?" Mr. Satan inquired when they settled in his office. Videl sat in the comfy armchair on the other side of the imposing oak desk. The wide window behind her father made him look intimidating, but Videl didn't let that get to her. She'd come this far; she wasn't backing down now. Even if it meant pretending not to be scared out of her wits until it was true and she actually wasn't afraid anymore.

"I want to know what really happened at the Cell Games." Her fingers clutched the fabric of her cargo shorts.

Throwing his head back, he started laughing that obnoxious, fake laugh that never sat quite right with her. "What do you mean, Videl? You know what happened ━ I killed that evil monster in one shot!"

Her lips pursed tightly as he kept cackling. He was lying to her face. Her own father was lying to her face and it didn't even seem to faze him. Or had he come to believe his own lie over the years? She wouldn't put it past him.

"I know that's a lie."

Her assertion made him stop laughing at once. He blinked at her stupidly, and Videl had an unpleasant sensation in her stomach, as though something was playing with her intestines.

"What are you talking about, Videl?" he asked, looking genuinely confused with his head tilted to the side and his brow furrowed.

He really did convince himself he wasn't a fraud, that he was the world savior. It was even worse than she had feared.

Videl found herself glaring at him and gritting her teeth. How could she have been so blind to his faults? She had believed him, believed _in_ him, and he was even the reason she trained so hard and started fighting crime. He had been her hero, and all she ever did was try to be like him, to be rightful and honest and brave. But he was none of those things. He was really a con man. A criminal.

"I know you didn't kill Cell," she hissed through gritted teeth. Her fists were so tightly clutched on her lap that her arms were shaking.

He paled, his eyes widening slightly, for just a second. He let out a titter and tried to wave it off once more. "O-Of course I killed Cell. Who else could've done it besides me?" He was getting his confidence back as he kept going, "I'm the world champion ━ I'm the strongest man in the world!"

"Stop lying!" she snarled, getting on her feet so fast her father gave a start. Her fists were tightly closed at her sides; her blood was boiling.

How could he still try to deny it? Why wouldn't he just admit the truth to her? She was his only daughter, for crying out loud! Was it too much to ask not to be lied to?

"I can't believe you! I'm telling you I know the truth and you, you…" Her anger was such that she couldn't even find her words. " _Ugh_! You're the worst!"

Unable to stand his very presence, Videl turned on her heels and stomped on her way out, slamming the door shut so hard that the various paintings on the walls quivered and tilted out of place.

* * *

They had been walking around the city for a bit before spotting an ice cream truck a little ways ahead. Goten, of course, turned to his older brother with longing in his eyes, and Gohan didn't need to be told twice; he was craving some ice cream too anyway. A cool, creamy, smooth and refreshing dessert sounded absolutely exquisite right about now.

Then he paused, looking over his shoulder and up at the sky, past the buildings and skyscrapers. Not too far away, Videl's familiar ki skyrocketed all of a sudden, standing out like a sore thumb among the much weaker kis in the city. His first thought was that she was either training or fighting crime, but, focusing his senses a little more, they told him that it was neither. The vibrations that her ki emitted seemed a bit… troubled. More than a bit, actually. He could sense a peak of negative emotions, and he was more than a little familiar with the particular feeling her aura was giving off.

It was anger. Fierce, vivid anger, making Videl's energy blaze.

He frowned. What happened to her?

"Hey, Gohan! Gohaaan, are you listening to me?"

Blinking out of his thoughts, the teen looked down at his pouting little brother and couldn't help cracking a smile at the adorable sight. Any expression Goten made was always adorable, really. He had the cutest little brother ever.

"You said we were getting ice cream and then you spaced out," Goten muttered, his arms crossed to emphasize that he was indeed upset.

"Sorry, Lil' buddy," he said with a smile, ruffling Goten's already wild hair. "Let's get that ice cream."

Goten's pout quickly vanished and was replaced by a big, excited grin. "Alright!" he cheered throwing his fist up, and his big brother chuckled in amusement.

As they waited in line, Gohan couldn't help focusing his senses on Videl's ki once again. His brow furrowed. Still blazing with fury, her aura was erratic. It was holding steady at a fairly high level, but with occasional spurts of heightened energy output. Whatever was bothering Videl, it seemed that it made her bust a gut training. At least, it wasn't a sparring match; Gohan would've worried for anyone being at the end of Videl's temper.

Had they been friends, he could've gone to see her and ask what was wrong. Despite their earlier encounter and the pleasant conversation that followed, Videl had her reasons for keeping her distance from him. It appeared to be linked to what she had foreseen about his future, but, alas, that was something she was not willing to share. With things being the way they were, the only thing Gohan could do was worry about her from afar.

It sucked, but there was nothing he could do about it. Friendship couldn't be forced.

It was their turn to order. Gohan felt his features relax as Goten hopped up and down and eagerly pointed at the triple scoop ice cream cone. With a smile at his brother, he ordered the same for himself too.

The Son boys walked away from the truck, happily licking their respective creamy delights. The cold flavors tasted particularly nice on this hot day. Gohan glanced over at his brother as they walked side by side on the street, a smile on his lips at the carefree and happy look on Goten's face. He felt so lucky to have such an adorable sibling. Goten certainly made life livelier at the Son home.

He was so much like their dad, in so many ways. Gohan felt the usual pang in his heart as he thought that their father was missing so much of Goten's life.

But the thought that he may come back in a distant future lessened the pinch in his chest. He couldn't wait for Goten to meet their dad. They were going to hit it off right away ━ Gohan could not be convinced otherwise. He wondered when it was going to happen.

Sirens blaring interrupted his thought process. Police cars rushed past them, and Gohan frowned. Geez, the crime in this city wasn't getting any better, was it? There was no taking the weekend off for crime, apparently.

"Oh! Oh!" Goten exclaimed, a big grin on his face. "Gohan! Gohan! Can I help you today? Can I? Pleeeaaase?"

It took the teen a moment to understand what his brother was asking. "You mean…"

"Shhhh!" Goten cut him off before he could continue, apparently assuming he was going to say something incriminating. "Bulma actually made a watch for me, too!" he said in excitement, hiking up his sleeve to proudly show the similar-looking watch on his wrist. He looked left and right and beckoned the older boy over with his hand, and Gohan couldn't help his amusement as he obliged and crouched down to get closer to Goten. The little boy cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered in his ear, "I can be your sidekick!"

Well, there were tons of ways this could go wrong, but Gohan figured, as long as he kept an eye on his brother, he should be able to make sure nothing got out of hand. Besides, maybe when Goten was older he would take on the superhero mantle in Gohan's place, so this would be kind of like his training.

"Sure, why not."

"Alright!" Goten exclaimed, jumping and throwing his fist into the air. He apparently forgot he was holding an ice-cream cone, because the three scoops all dropped to the ground at his enthusiastic cheer.

He froze for a moment, and then he frowned and shook his head, as though there were more important things to think about right now. Gohan was honestly impressed as Goten turned serious eyes to him and said, "Let's go!"

Gohan wasn't sure what to do with his own cone, so he suggested that he and Goten share it on their way to the crime scene. The little boy lit up and happily accepted the offer.

They could always get another treat after they took care of the ongoing crime.

Getting into a deserted alleyway, Gohan motioned upwards to his brother, who nodded gravely, clearly taking his role as his sidekick very seriously.

Once they got on the rooftop, both boys pushed the red button on their respective watches while announcing: "Transformation!"

Goten was grinning from ear to ear under his helmet. The color of his tunic was blue instead of Gohan's green, and his helmet was silver instead of orange, but other than that it was basically the same costume. Gohan grinned. It suited his brother like a glove.

They could still hear the police sirens from afar.

"Ready, Great Saiyaboy?" Gohan asked his brother, who grinned even wider in response.

"You got it, Great Saiyaman!"

* * *

"Okay, Goten. I mean, Saiyaboy," Gohan corrected himself. He and his little brother, or rather, his sidekick for the day, were standing atop a building overlooking the current bank robbery that had turned into a hostage situation. "Rule number one: never say your real name or mine. Out there we're the Great Saiyaman and the Great Saiyaboy, but you can lose the 'Great' for short if you need to call me."

Goten nodded, his lips taut in a very serious frown. Gohan cracked a smile. His brother was so cute. He couldn't have asked for a more adorable sidekick.

"Rule number two: protect the innocent at all costs. But always control your strength not to hurt the bad guys too badly."

"Got it!"

"Rule number three: have fun with it!" Gohan said with a grin. "We'll work on a routine for another time if you want, but we'll try to look cool without practice this time."

Goten's lips broke into a grin, and even though Gohan couldn't see his eyes, he knew they were shining with excitement.

"Don't worry, Gohan, I've watched you practice, I know all your cool moves!"

Gohan chuckled. This should be fun. "Okay then, I think we're ready to officially introduce you as my sidekick. Ready, Saiyaboy?"

"You got it, Saiyaman!" Goten replied with enthusiasm, turning his attention to the ongoing crime below.

Gohan did the same, assessing the situation. Things seemed calm for now. The robbers were holding the customers and employees of the bank hostage, so the police were staying put while they tried to negotiate a deal with the criminals to let the hostages go unharmed.

"What should we do?" Goten asked, not really used to that kind of thing.

"Well, our priority is to keep all the innocent people safe, and right now the bad guys seem on standby while waiting for the police to answer their demands."

Goten nodded slowly to show him that he understood. Gohan cracked a smile. If this went well, he might take Goten along to be his sidekick more often. His little brother was just so cute. He was bound to become super popular with the people of Satan City, too, probably even more popular than the Great Saiyaman himself ━ but Gohan wouldn't mind. He got it, honestly. There was just no competition there. The cute factor was simply too strong with Goten.

"Let's sneak in. We don't want to give the bad guys a chance to harm anyone."

"Got it," Goten said, his tone serious. "How do we get in? Maybe we can use our superspeed to rush in without being seen?"

Gohan shook his helmeted head. "While it's not a bad idea, we don't know what's going on in the bank, where the robbers are, and how close they are to the hostages. It'd be too risky."

"Right. Protect the innocent at all costs," Goten repeated the second rule. Gohan couldn't get the grin off his face. His little sidekick was just so adorable. Despite the current crime situation, he couldn't help his high spirits. Goten had that effect on people.

Gohan took a moment to think it over. "I think our best shot is to find a window to some office inside the bank and sneak in."

"Oh, that's a much better idea! It shows that you're used to that kind of stuff already! You're so cool, Gohan!"

The teen laughed slightly. He patted his brother on his helmet, since he couldn't ruffle his wild hair like he usually did while Goten was wearing the silver contraption.

"Anyway, let's…"

His words died on his tongue as the familiar rumbling of an engine approached them from behind. Gohan turned around, and Goten followed suit out of curiosity.

The teenage superhero blinked behind his visor. It was Videl's unmistakable yellow jetcopter, with the name _Satan_ written in big black letters on the side of the aircraft.

And it was flying straight at them.

"How did she…?" He trailed off as the jetcopter landed on the roof, a few feet away. Videl got off the flying vehicle, and Goten perked up.

"Oh! It's Videl!" He ran up to her with a big grin. "This is so cool! We're all gonna fight the bad guys together!"

Videl raised an eyebrow at the excited little boy in disguise in front of her, before turning a skeptical gaze on the older superhero.

"You're letting your brother come with you? Seriously?"

Gohan let out an awkward chuckle. "Well, he's stronger than he looks, and I'll keep an eye on him."

"And who's keeping an eye on _you_?" she shot back with a teasing smirk.

"You are?" he joked back with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. Gohan felt the weight lessen in his chest. He had been worried about Videl since he picked up her ki flaring with anger earlier, but his little brother seemed to have had a calming effect on her. Which wasn't surprising. There was no rivaling Goten's adorable factor.

"How did you find us, anyway?" Gohan inquired.

Videl snorted a laugh. "You're kidding, right? I was flying to the bank after I got the call from the police, so _of course_ I'd notice two very colorful figures standing on a rooftop just over the bank. Your disguises aren't what I'd call… inconspicuous."

Gohan chuckled in embarrassment. She had a point there.

"We were just about to sneak in through an office window!" Goten cut in excitedly. "We can take you with us!"

Videl tilted her head. She seemed to think about it. Gohan smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What do you think? Shall we actually team up for once?" he proposed.

"I guess I could use the help," she accepted, giving a shrug.

"Alright!" Goten cheered, throwing his fist up. "I'm going in first!"

With that, and without waiting for his "team", a white aura surrounded the disguised little boy and he took off to find an office window like they had planned.

Gohan grimaced. "Oh, geez. I can't let him out of my sight. Come on, let's hurry!"

With that, and without so much as a warning, Gohan wrapped his arms around Videl's waist and to go after his brother. He was too worried about what mayhem Goten could cause without his supervision to be aware that he was holding Videl all against him, or that he was doing anything out of the ordinary.

But the girl certainly did notice, and she _flushed_. Her arms moved around his neck. And then the world around them became a blur. It made her heart feel as though it was rising in her chest in a breathless kind of way, like in a rollercoaster ride. Videl held her breath as Gohan zipped after his brother, and what seemed like a second later, they were hovering before an open window. The office on the other side was empty. Apparently, Goten had been too excited to wait for them.

"Darn it," Gohan muttered under his breath, even though that wasn't even a real curse. "We have to hurry after him. I shouldn't have brought him along…"

She would've come up with something witty to say if Gohan's arms hadn't still been around her. His body heat had a weird effect on her, and Videl felt flustered and nervous. With the boy she secretly liked holding her so close, the girl was in no condition to hold a proper conversation, let alone focus on the problem at hand.

She hated how much she liked being in his arms like this. Why did it have to feel so damn amazing? She had to fight back the urge to lean in to him. It just felt so… _right_.

The embrace was short-lived, however. Gohan didn't waste any time and let go of her as soon as they went through the window and into the empty office. The next moment, Videl found herself alone, because Gohan was too worried about what trouble his little brother could cause to think about waiting for her to compose herself. Not that he had any idea that she _needed_ some time to regain her bearing.

She swallowed, her face still beet-red as she stood alone in the room. Was it just her? Did Gohan just not see her in that way? Well, it wasn't like she had given him a chance to develop feelings for her like he was supposed to. Gohan was meant to fall in love with her in time, after all, but Videl was supposed to _stop_ that from happening ━ not _wish_ that he felt the same way as her.

Shaking her head sharply, Videl decided that she needed to focus on the matter at hand. She had wasted enough time as it was ━ she wasn't going to let Gohan and Goten do all the work on their own. She could use the chance to vent on some bad guys as well, today more so than usual.

Sneaking into the bank through an adviser's office had been a good idea, and Videl had to admit that she would've had a harder time to find her way into the bank if not for Gohan bringing her. As embarrassing and troubling as it had been to feel him so close to her, the crime fighter gave credit when credit was due, and his help had been quite useful.

Her steps were almost noiseless as she slid against the wall in the hallway, slowly making her way to the main office where the robbers were holding everyone hostage.

When she made a turn, she saw a small, red-caped silhouette, observing the scene over the wall so as not to be seen. She had to give it to Goten not to have rushed into the action without thinking, which had been what she assumed a boy his age would do in this situation. She was glad that she was proven wrong, but her brow furrowed as she swept her head around for the older superhero. How had Gohan not caught up to his brother by now? He'd left the office before her. Where was he? Did he get lost or something?

Well, at least she could keep the little superhero in check until Gohan turned up, whenever that would be. From what she knew about Goten, more from her dreams than by meeting him just earlier today, the boy could be reckless and inattentive, but he also knew to keep his head straight when something serious demanded it, so Videl was confident he would follow her lead without questions. She was, after all, the more experienced one on the field, and even though she was well aware that he was endlessly stronger than her even at his young age, Goten had been raised to always respect and obey his elders, so the girl wasn't too worried.

She sneaked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder, hoping not to startle him. Goten simply turned his head toward her with a smile. Videl noted that the silver helmet he was wearing, while still having a ridiculous design what with the antennas on either side of it, looked slightly better than the orange one Gohan adorned. The color went well with the blue tunic that Goten had on too, and while Videl still questioned the fashion sense of the person who designed these suits, at least on a little boy it looked somewhat less absurd because, after all, there was nothing unusual about kids playing dress-up. On a teenager who could pass off as a grown man, however… Videl couldn't imagine ever thinking that Gohan's superhero persona was anything but lame.

"Goten," she said, and then figured he must have a superhero name to conceal his real identity.

"It's Saiyaboy," the child corrected her, unwittingly answering her before she could ask what she should call him.

"Right. Saiyaboy, you shouldn't have run off like that. You're still new to this kind of thing and you have to wait for your brother no matter the situation."

His smile fell and his lips parted in what she assumed was a look of horror, which was hard to tell because of the helmet covering most of his face.

"I… I just… Oh, no, Gohan's not gonna want to let me come along again now!" he realized, his voice rising in panic. Videl shushed him and he gasped, clamping his hands on his mouth, but it was too late. His outburst had drawn attention from the robbers, and one of them was stalking towards them in suspicion.

"Who's out there?" he called out.

Videl shot the superhero in training a stern glare that said, "See what you've done?" But she felt bad almost immediately as the helmeted boy hung his head in shame.

Thinking quickly, she took Goten's gloved hand. "You have superspeed too, right?" she whispered to him quickly, sneaking a glance at the armed and hooded man approaching them. "Get us out of here!"

His mostly concealed face seemed to light up, if his grin was any indication. Goten tightened his hand on hers, and the next moment Videl felt that rush in her chest once more, just like before, when Gohan flew after his brother to the office window. Distractedly, she wondered if there was any point in going on rollercoaster rides for people who could move at such speeds.

In a split second, the pair found themselves on the other side of the main office, behind some counter where transactions were made. Videl and Goten quickly crouched down, even though the young boy didn't really need to since he was shorter than the top of the counter.

"You're really smart!" he complimented in a hushed voice, a grin playing on his lips.

"Thanks." Videl cracked a smile. That kid was just as cute as she remembered from her dreams.

There was a kind of _zip_ sound from behind them, and the pair turned round to a crouched down Great Saiyaman, his lips taut in annoyance. Goten's face fell, feeling what was coming to him.

"Rule number four," Gohan growled lowly at his brother, " _never_ run off on your own and _always_ stay within my sight."

"I'm sorry, Go━ I mean, I'm sorry, Saiyaman…" murmured Goten's small voice, his head hung.

Videl felt bad for him. He was still a child, and while one could argue that a boy his age had nothing to do in the middle of a crime scene, let alone to help stop it, Goten was no normal kid. It occurred to her that Gohan had been barely older than him when he'd faced Cell.

Videl swallowed at the thought. What kind of childhood did one have to lead to end up in a battle to the death to save the world at nine years old?

She wished she could ask him that and so much more. Alas, she was not willing to pay the price for satisfying her curiosity. It was bad enough that she was seeing him again today and they actually interacted instead of doing their own thing, each on their own side, to help the police fight crime. It was bad enough that she was already crushing on him despite her best efforts to avoid him. It was bad enough that her heart wasn't okay with the decision she'd made not to let destiny take its course and didn't miss an opportunity to protest painfully inside her chest.

Videl simply couldn't allow that future from coming true. She just couldn't. Even if a part of her would always wonder if this was the right decision. The risk was too big ━ it was just too big.

"Where have you been, anyway?" she asked Gohan, to distract herself from her troubling thoughts. "You went after… Saiyaboy before me." She'd hesitated, almost blurting out Goten's name. While they weren't in hearing range, it was the principle of things. No real name-calling when on the job. That was superhero rule number one ━ everybody knew that.

"I, uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck, probably itching to scratch his hair but unable to because of his silly-looking helmet. "I was following… Saiyaboy by his ki, which was a mistake because I took a wrong turn and hit a dead end."

"His… ki?" she repeated the foreign word which sounded vaguely familiar at the same time. Videl had a feeling this wasn't the first time she'd heard it, even though it had been in some of her dreams.

Yet another evidence that her dreams were visions of her future ━ a future that she'd hopefully erased by now, despite her growing feelings for Gohan.

As long as they never dated and eventually got engaged then married… As long as Videl made sure she never ended up as Gohan's wife, surely she wasn't going to become the mild-mannered and mellow woman from her visions, right?

"Oh, sorry," Gohan gave her a sheepish smile ━ which looked adorable even with that stupid orange helmet. Damn him. "I never told you about ki, did I? It's… um… It's kinda hard to explain…"

A distressed cry sounded, reminding the team of the hostage situation.

"I'll tell you later," Gohan whispered hurriedly. "We better move now."

Both Videl and Goten nodded in agreement. Videl peered over the side of the counter to get an idea of what they were dealing with.

"There's six of them," Gohan said, even though he wasn't even looking at the scene, still crouched down behind the counter with the other two. "And there are seventeen hostages."

Videl gave him a look over her shoulder. "When did you count them?"

"Just now. I can sense it in their kis; it's their life forces. I can tell the difference between those who are scared and those who feel aggressive and anxious."

So that's what ki was. Videl had a feeling it was something like that, but now she had a much clearer idea of what Gohan was talking about. That meant that earlier, Gohan was following Goten's ki instead of just taking the obvious route to the main room of the bank, and he got lost as a result, which was what had delayed him.

"What do we do?" Goten asked, looking both excited and anxious for his first time fighting crime.

"I say we take them out one by one, discreetly," Videl suggested. "It would be easier if we could create a diversion. Hmm…" She thought for a few moments. A smoke bomb would have been ideal, but she did have two super-powered half-aliens at hand. Maybe they could do something that would cause the same effect. "You guys can throw blasts with your hands, right?"

"Yeah, that's ki too," Goten replied, happy to take part in the plan-making process.

"Perfect. I need you guys to make a cloud of dust rise. Think it'll be possible?" she asked, turning to Gohan. He gave her a half-smile that resembled a smirk. Almost arrogant.

"Sure, no problem." He turned to Goten. "Leave it to me, okay? I have more experience with ki-control, so it'll be safer."

Goten's lips puckered out, obviously wishing he could be of use.

"There's six of them," Videl offered with a smile. "How about we each take two out?"

"Sounds fair," Gohan agreed with a chuckle. "What do you say, Lil' buddy?"

Goten nodded his head vigorously, obviously excited at the prospect of stopping two criminals all on his own.

The interaction between the brothers was… heartwarming. The way Goten seemed to simply adore his big brother, and the way Gohan talked with Goten, giving him pet names and always being kind and gentle with him…

It reminded Videl of how Gohan would be with their baby daughter. Always kind and gentle, even when she was fussy or throwing a fit. He would've been such a great dad.

Her heart sunk, but Videl forbade herself from going any further in her thought process. She wasn't allowed to regret what she was stopping from happening. She didn't get to wish it could still happen, if only it didn't mean marrying Gohan would turn her into a woman whose sole desire in life was to make her husband and children happy. Not that there was anything wrong with that… but why would it mean that she had to lose her vibrant fire in the process?

"Alright, I'll create the diversion, and then we'll split up and take care of the bad guys," Gohan concluded their plan. Videl forced herself to get her head back in the game. Lives were at stake here, this was not the time to think about the life she had turned her back to.

Goten was balancing himself on his feet, one after the other, like he couldn't wait to get started. His hidden eyes were most likely shining with excitement.

And so the three split up. A few moments later, a loud crack sounded, and, as promised, a cloud of dust rose from the rubble of whatever Gohan had hit with his blast. Meanwhile, Videl had been sneaking behind one of the hooded robbers, ready to knock him out swiftly.

Of course, the blast put the criminals on alert, and they were turning to every side with their machine guns pointing in all directions, shouting to call out the intruders. But with their vision impaired, there was little they could do.

Goten was following Videl's example, slowly advancing towards one of the bad guys with the intention to take him out with one blow. He felt like a ninja, and the little superhero boy was bubbling with excitement. Even after his mistake, Gohan was still letting him help, and Goten was determined to make his brother proud. He was going to be the best sidekick a superhero could ever ask for!

"What the hell…? Who's there?" yelled the robber Goten had been sneaking up to, turning around swiftly in his direction despite the cloud of dust rendering his vision useless. But, apparently, he could still make out the colorful silhouette of the little boy, and Goten pouted, disappointed that he hadn't been able to be swift like a ninja. The flashy costume, while super cool, hadn't been of much help to him, alas.

But he remembered Videl's quick thinking earlier, so Goten used his superspeed to phase out, and reappeared behind the armed man.

"What the…?" came the confused croak.

Goten tapped his leg. Since he had already been found out, and while he could've knocked out the robber right then and there, he felt like having some fun with the guy. Superheroes always had witty quips when they fought villains after all, right?

"Behind you," he teased the beefy man.

The smoke was beginning to clear. The criminal took a step back, his machine gun still raised, not quite sure what he was looking at.

"Who the hell are you?" he yelled, recognizing the familiar costume but not quite adding up why a kid dressed up similarly to the already famous superhero was facing him, seemingly fearlessly.

"Hi! I'm Go━"

Superhero rule number one: never say your real name. _Come on, Goten, don't mess up already!_ the boy scolded himself.

"I'm going to stop you!" he caught himself, feeling like patting himself on the back for his quick thinking.

"Like hell you are!" Ruthlessly, the man hit the trigger of his machine gun and peppered the child with bullets.

Goten could see the small projectiles breaking the air like in slow motion. Not wanting to risk the lives of the innocent people around him by a bouncing bullet, the superhero boy made sure to catch all of them in his hands. He felt so cool doing that, and couldn't stop grinning all the while. It was just like what he'd seen Gohan do on TV!

To make a show of it, Goten crushed the metallic bullets in his hands, then opened them to let the dust drop on the floor. The masked criminal gulped loudly.

Goten figured it was time to cut it short, so he rushed the man, jumped high and delivered a mild yet devastating roundhouse kick, effectively knocking him out with one blow.

Landing on his feet, he stood proudly before his fallen adversary, his hands on his hips, his grin bigger than ever.

"Saiyaboy! You still have your second bad guy to take care of," his brother reminded him. "Videl and I are already done with ours."

Goten looked around the bank and, indeed, only one hooded man was left standing, shaking in his boots as the teenage crime fighters just stood there and waited for the child to take care of him.

"I'm Saiyaboy!" Goten introduced himself. He took a pose, raising a fist up in the air while his other arm stretched to his side. "The Great Saiyaman's most-trusted sidekick!" He crossed his arms in front of his head, bending his knees with his feet wide apart. "And I will not…" He straightened up and dramatically pointed his gloved finger at the last villain standing, "tolerate evil such as you! Prepare yourself, fiend, because I'm going to kick your butt!"

A scowl of disgust contorted the hooded man's lips. "No way I'm getting beaten by a brat…" he growled, no longer scared. Instead, a sudden wave of anger had risen within him at the turn of events.

He reached for the closest hostage, obviously intending to use the woman as leverage for his own freedom. But, like with the bullets, Goten was seeing him move in slow motion. The boy used his superspeed, slapping the man's hand away from his would-be hostage, before grabbing his wrist and skillfully locked his arm behind his back.

"That's no way to treat a lady," Goten berated, no longer amused. He didn't like to think that some people really were evil, that they would stop at nothing for their own benefit, even if it meant hurting people who did nothing to them.

"I'mma kill you! I'mma teach you some manners, you brat!" the criminal sputtered angrily, struggling against the boy's grip.

"Don't underestimate Saiyaboy just because he's a child," Gohan said to him with a smile, standing aside calmly, his arms crossed. "He _is_ my brother, after all."

"Sure am!" Goten confirmed proudly.

"You guys are freaks! Freaks of nature!" the robber insulted them, trying to hurt them with his words since he was clearly outmatched physically.

"Hey, that's really mean!" Goten frowned. "You're a really bad man, you know that?"

"No shit, Sherlock!" The man struggled as hard as he could, but the child's grip was just too strong. "I'm gonna kill you!" he said, even though he was well aware that his threats were as empty as they were useless.

"Saiyaboy," Videl called, her face taut in a deep scowl, her arms crossed tightly. "Teach this man a lesson. Show him how what he calls "freaks of nature" fight for justice."

Goten nodded his head once, before turning his attention to the criminal in his grip. "I wish I had the power to make you good. Maybe you'll think about what you've done when you're in prison."

The struggling man was about to say something in response, probably more curses and insults, but before the air could leave his lung, Goten kicked him behind his knee and used the momentum of his fall to punch him on the side of his stomach. The pain was enough to make the criminal curl up on the floor and whimper helplessly, but since Goten hadn't hit any pressure point, the man, while out of commission, was not unconscious.

"Good job, Saiyaboy," Videl praised. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

Goten grinned proudly, his legs spread and his fists on his hips as the people they had just saved cheered for the crime-fighting team.

"Saiyaman!" the little boy perked up suddenly. "That's our cue!"

A grin stretched out the older superhero's lips, while Videl took a step back, dread filling her being at the words Goten had pronounced. They weren't going to… They weren't, were they? They wouldn't…

And yet, here they were. The brothers took several, uncoordinated poses while announcing that everything was safe now and introducing themselves once more, as the Great Saiyaman, champion of justice, and the Great Saiyaboy, his most-trusted sidekick.

Videl smacked her palm on her face, feeling embarrassed for their sake, despite how proud of themselves the brothers looked.

To think she would've become a member of their family if not for the warning she got from her dreams…

* * *

Now out of their untasteful disguises, Gohan and Goten were in a deserted alley with Videl. Saiyaboy, as expected, attracted a lot of attention, and the only thing the superhero duo were willing to tell the press was that the Great Saiyaman's sidekick was also his little brother. Then they both flew away, only to return moments later and discreetly coerce Videl into an alley.

"So, what did you think? What did you think?" Goten asked, jumping from one foot to the other, his fist clenched and raised by his head while the biggest grin stretched out his lips. "How did I do? I did good, didn't I? I mean, I wasn't as fast as you guys to take care of my bad guys, but I did good, didn't I? And people cheered for me, too! Boy, I can't wait to tell Trunks! He's gonna be so jealous!"

Videl chuckled. She had to admit, she had still been fuming at her father when she got the police call, but ever since seeing Goten on the rooftop earlier, his cuteness had managed to shoo away all her negative emotions. Gohan was lucky to have such an adorable little brother.

"You were great, Goten, even though you did have a bumpy start," Gohan reminded the boy, giving him a pointed look. Goten's grin became sheepish as he scratched the back of his head ━ the exact same way Videl had seen Gohan do many times, despite how hard she'd been trying to avoid him over the past week. The familiar habit made her heart melt. Goten was just too cute.

"Well, I guess we better get going," Gohan said with a resigned sigh. Videl turned to him ━ he was rubbing the back of his neck, and without her consent, a light blush made its way to her cheeks.

Damn it, this one was really cute too ━ but in a different way.

He started turning away. Before she could stop herself, her hand reached out for his sleeve. "Wait," she heard herself say, even though she was positive she never agreed to say that word.

Gohan looked at her, tilting his head in confusion.

The thought of them leaving reminded her that she would have to go home. Home to her father. To her lying father, a man who wouldn't admit the truth even when she told him she knew he was a fraud. A man who had come to believe his own lies to the world over the years.

A man everyone else on this planet worshipped like a god.

Videl needed to get it off her chest, somehow, someway. The distraction of their team-up had helped for a time, but now reality was catching up to her and she wasn't ready to face it.

She needed to talk to someone about all this ━ but who other than Gohan would understand what she was going through? Nobody would ever believe her if she tried telling them the truth about her father. They would scoff at her and call _her_ a liar, even her best friends. There was nothing she could do about it ━ they were all brainwashed by the Satan mania.

Gohan was the only one who knew the truth. He was the only one she could ever talk to about her father. Even as risky as spending time with him was, the damage was done already anyway. She was already crushing on him, despite her best efforts. So what difference did that make? As long as she made sure that their relationship didn't evolve into something more, she should be safe from the visions of the future that she'd had.

At least, that was how Videl convinced herself that she wasn't being reckless, that she had no other choice. She had to talk to someone, _anyone_ , but the only person who would listen and believe her was the boy she was supposed to avoid. It wasn't _her_ fault things ended up this way. She had no choice.

She needed this. Videl just couldn't fathom going back home right now, going back to her lying father. She needed to talk to Gohan.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Can… Can we talk?" she croaked out. She ran her tongue over her lips, feeling a lump rise in her throat. Her mouth felt so dry. "You're the only one I can talk to about this. About my dad."

Understanding flashed in his coal eyes. His brow furrowed gravely, and then he turned to his brother. "Goten, go on ahead and go home, I'll join you guys later. Tell mom I don't know when I'll be back. This could take a while."

The little boy looked between the two teens, his head tilted in confusion. He opened his mouth, like he wanted to ask more, but his upbringing made him clamp it shut and nod his head instead. Goten just didn't have it in him to discuss a direct order from his older brother. He had been molded into a well-mannered child who always respected and obeyed his elders, especially family.

"Okay. See you later, then."

Videl had to give it to Chichi ━ the woman had raised respectful young men.

Goten flew off, and then Gohan turned to her once more, the seriousness never leaving his eyes. "Let's find ourselves a bench."

Videl nodded in agreement, and they went on their way.

Yes, indeed ━ this could take a while. Might as well be seated.


	9. Her Inner Turmoil

They had passed a coffee shop while looking for a bench, and Videl suggested they get in instead to talk. Gohan's lips broke into a broad smile at the idea, obviously eager to order something to eat while they discussed her issues with her father. Since this was most likely going to take a while, Videl figured they might as well have a snack while they were at it. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch and the sun was already setting; after the various workout sessions she'd had over the course of the day, it wasn't surprising that her stomach was growling quietly. Thankfully, it wasn't quite bad enough yet for it to be embarrassingly loud.

They settled in a booth in a withdrawn corner, so as to have more privacy and be away from prying ears. A waiter came up to their table and handed them each a menu.

Gohan politely thanked the young man and Videl gave him a nod, keeping her head low and not making eye contact for fear of being recognized. The last thing she needed was to end up on the front page of some gossip magazine proclaiming that she was on a date or something.

Gohan had his menu raised, so Videl couldn't see his face as he said, "So, tell me. About your dad." He lowered the laminated cardboard just enough to uncover his eyes and gave her a piercing look. "Something happened, I assume?"

She nodded her head, her own menu flat against the table as she distractedly browsed through the choices.

"I'm buying," she said, giving Gohan a look.

"You don't have to," he protested, cracking a smile and scratching the back of his head.

"I do. You were on your way home and I'm holding you, it's the least I can do," she insisted. Her face darkened as she lowered her gaze to the menu once more, not really seeing the words and pictures. "Besides, all the money I have should have been yours."

She heard him gulp loudly. "Fair enough…"

And it was all the confirmation she needed. Gohan was indeed the boy from the Cell Games that the media had dubbed as the Delivery Boy. He was the one who had killed Cell. He had saved the world at the mere age of nine.

And her father took the credit for his accomplishment. She swallowed. She had never felt so ashamed to be that man's daughter.

"I can't believe you saved the world when you were just a kid…" she breathed out in a whisper, disbelief and admiration lacing her low voice.

"Honestly? I can't believe it either," Gohan said, letting out an awkward chuckle. "I was only ten, and yet somehow I'd managed to surpass even my father. I was so sure he was holding back, that he was the one who would be finishing off Cell. But he'd known all along that I became stronger than even him, and he gambled everything on me."

Videl raised her head to look at him, her interest piqued by his account. "Ten? But aren't you sixteen? Shouldn't you have been nine at the time?"

He cracked a smile. "Yeah, by my birth year, I was nine. But biologically, I was ten. So I'm actually seventeen."

Her eyebrows scrunched up. "How?"

"There's this room, it's in another dimension. When you get in and close the door, time goes slower inside than here on Earth. To put it simply, a year inside the room equates to only a day outside of it. Three hundred and sixty-five days for twenty-four hours. I spent nearly a year there with my dad to train for the Cell Games. Well, actually, that's not exactly right," he corrected himself, his head tilted to the side and his finger pressed on his chin, his eyes going sideways as he accessed his memory. "Cell announced his Games while we were in the room, but we were training because we knew we would have to face great enemies. That's when I unknowingly surpassed my dad."

His explanation was weird and confusing, but Videl thought she got the gist of it. The girl shook her head in disbelief. "I just can't wrap my head around it. How do you end up fighting to save the world at only ten years old? What kind of childhood did you have to find yourself there?"

He lowered his head and blushed. "It wasn't always easy, but I had a happy childhood nonetheless," he said, his voice hushed. "I did kinda get thrown into martial arts without having any say in it, and at first I was really scared." He swallowed. "I was only four, and then one day I wake up to my dad's enemy telling me I had to get strong if I wanted to have a future on this planet."

"What the… Four? You were four? Are you serious?" She couldn't believe her ears. So, while she was just starting to learn how to read letters and count on her hands, Gohan was already training to save the world. What the hell…? Who in their right mind would force a toddler to fight for the planet?

"Yeah… But, um, anyway," Gohan said, clearing his throat in obvious discomfort. "You wanted to talk about your dad, didn't you? Since I'm the only one who knows the truth about him."

"Oh, right." She gave a sheepish smile. Gohan's life was just so fascinating, she couldn't help wanting to know more. Her curiosity was insatiable, and Gohan was such an incredible source. As close as it was to the matter at hand, his story had helped distract her mind from her lying father for a few minutes, and Videl was grateful for that.

"What happened?" he asked.

She scowled at the memory. She still couldn't believe that her father wouldn't admit to the truth even when she said point-blank to him that she knew he was lying. And yet he kept trying to save face. What did he think, that she would change her mind or something if he insisted hard enough that his lies were the truth?

"I tried confronting him earlier," she started, her head dipping lower between her shoulders, her arms crossed on the table.

At that moment, the waiter came back to take their order. Gohan asked for a slice of lemon pie and an iced tea, while Videl gritted her teeth at the interruption. Waiters always had the worst timing. They always seemed to appear at the least opportune moment.

She decided to take the same thing as Gohan, because she didn't want the waiter to come back later for her order, and she hadn't taken the time to look at the menu anyway. A slice of lemon pie and a glass of iced tea sounded pretty good anyway. Gohan had good taste.

"So, you were saying that you tried to confront your father earlier?" the boy said, getting the conversation back on track.

Videl nodded her head, her expression darkening. "But he kept denying it. I think he came to believe his own lies. Even when I said I knew the truth, he was still trying to tell me I was wrong."

"Ouch." Gohan grimaced.

Her eyes narrowed as she shot him an accusing glare. "This is your fault, you know. Why did you let him take your credit for saving the world? If you'd just come forth…"

Of course, she could easily guess the answer to that question, but she couldn't help blaming it on Gohan. If he had just announced himself as the world savior instead of letting her father proclaim it, she wouldn't have had to come to the realization that the man who raised her was a fraud.

The light in Gohan's eyes subdued. "I'm sorry. I didn't think of the consequences back then… I was just glad I didn't have to deal with the attention. My dad had just died and my mom found out that she was pregnant soon after. We didn't care about the credit. That's not why we fought Cell."

Well, now she felt like a bitch. Videl let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Gohan," she said, looking him in the eyes. "It's not your fault my dad lied to the world. Nobody forced him to steal your credit ━ he could've just told the truth, that he had no idea what happened, and the world would've known that the amazing boy with golden blond hair had saved the world." She shook her head. "But he decided to lie and that's on him. Sure, you could've disproved him, but I get why you didn't, and it's more than understandable given the turn your life had taken."

He cracked a smile, leaning forward on his elbows on the table. "I guess you're right. I'm still sorry for not thinking about the consequences though. I mean, I had no idea Mr. Satan even had a daughter, but maybe if I'd looked into his life more instead of just feeling relieved I didn't have to deal with the media, if I cared a little more about what my decision to let him take the credit for killing Cell would mean for the people close to him, you wouldn't find yourself in this delicate situation right now."

She chuckled slightly. "I can't say I disagree."

"So, what are you going to do? Are you going to try confronting him again?" Gohan inquired, his face turning serious.

She lowered her gaze and swallowed thickly, the memory of her last attempt at talking with her father still fresh and painful. "I don't think I have a choice…"

"If it helps, keep in mind that your dad isn't a bad man," Gohan said, his voice soft and gentle. "He only did good deeds with his fame and wealth. That's one of the reasons I figured letting him take the credit wasn't a bad thing. The world needs a hero to look up to, and he's kinda perfect for that role."

"Doesn't make what he did right," Videl muttered bitterly. Just the thought of what her father had done was filling her with shame and indignation.

"Of course not. But, you know, if you think about it, your dad is the only person on the whole planet who took up Cell's challenge, risking his life to try to save the world."

"He only did it for the glory," Videl said with a scoff, her tone harsh, condemning.

"Maybe, but that's not the only thing." Gohan paused, maybe to get her full attention, maybe for dramatic effect. Either way, Videl shifted her gaze on him once more, observing his handsome features with interest. "He's pretty much the reason I was able to let go and become strong enough to defeat Cell."

Videl's eyebrows scrunched up, her gaze sliding sideways as she tried to remember what Gohan meant.

"Cell had… birthed those unbelievably strong little creatures he called the Cell Juniors," the boy started explaining. "He made seven of them, one for each of my friends and my dad, who was worn out from his fight with Cell. The Juniors were slaying them, and Cell stopped me when I tried to go help them. He forced me to watch as he tortured the people I cared most about, because he wanted me to get angry."

His words made something tingle in her mind. Something she knew from her visions.

"Because your power comes from your anger," Videl remembered.

Gohan raised his eyebrows at her. Then he smiled. "Yes, exactly. But I was scared to let go, scared of that power within me. And then the head of Android 16 landed at my feet."

"Oh, wait, I remember now!" Videl suddenly perked up. "That huge red-haired man that Cell blew to bits… He asked my dad to throw his head near you so he could talk to you."

"Precisely. 16 may have been a synthesized being, and he was sort of created to kill my dad, but he was still kind-hearted and righteous. Dr. Gero, his creator, considered him a failure, probably because of his good nature." Gohan lowered his head, his smile turning melancholic and regretful. "He told me that it was okay to fight for justice. That sometimes there's just no other choice. He asked me to protect the animals and nature that he adored…" His breath hitched and he swallowed, evidently having a hard time telling her about the painful memory. "And then Cell stepped on his head and crushed him like he was some bug. And I… I lost it. That's when I surpassed Cell ━ when I surpassed all the living beings in the universe, I'm pretty sure."

Videl felt breathless as she watched the young world savior. Gohan was just so incredible. His life had been so hard, and yet he had managed to stay pure and untainted by the evil he had encountered through his young years. His kindness was so heartwarming; it made his very presence feel comforting to the people around him. As though there was a calming aura about him that somehow lessened any kind of weight you may have in your chest.

"So, you see, your dad did help. If not for him going through the crossfire of the battles going on, 16 wouldn't have been able to help me release my full power to surpass Cell," Gohan concluded, a half-smile tugging on the corner of his lips as he locked eyes with her once more.

"I guess…" Videl relented. "But he still… He lied to my face. I told him I knew the truth and he just kept lying. I'm his daughter. His flesh and blood. How could he lie to me for all these years?"

Gohan gave her a sympathetic look. "Yeah, I get it. It sucks, but nobody is perfect. I still think your dad is a good man despite his flaws. He just came to believe his own lies, like you said. I think he's gonna need some time to realize that all the things he's been feeding the world aren't real."

Her traits contorted in disgust. "I'm not so sure he's a good man, to be honest. To fool the world just so he could be worshipped like a god…" She swallowed, her gaze lowering. "Sometimes I just… I wish I had a normal dad. He wasn't always like this. He wasn't always such an attention whore. But now… It's like he barely cares about me anymore, even. He's always out on business trips and leaves me alone in that big mansion that I don't even like."

"I'm sure he cares, Videl. He's your dad and he loves you."

"Not enough to put me first. Not enough to tell me the truth."

"Was he supposed to tell his nine-year-old daughter that he'd just lied to the whole world and wasn't actually the savior he made them believe he was?"

"Maybe not then, okay, but I'm old enough now. And he still lied to my face, giving me that annoying fake laugh of his. I hate it so much, that laugh of his."

"Videl…" Gohan started, but he trailed off, apparently out of things to say.

"I just… I can't believe I'm his daughter. I wish I wasn't. I've never hated that I'm related to him more than I do now."

Gohan fell silent. Videl raised her gaze to look at him. He was watching her intently, a serious frown creasing his brow. His piercing, coal eyes made some heat rush to her face.

A lump rose in her throat. Damn it. She really liked him a lot. Why hadn't she been able to stop herself from developing feelings for Gohan? Why did fate seem to be against her, for that matter? To think she had come across Gohan not only once, but twice today, on a Saturday, and both times ended up with them having a serious discussion. What, was fate upset that she wasn't going along with its plan so it was messing with her on purpose? She had free will. She got to choose her own destiny, and she wasn't going to resign herself, not when she had foreseen what that damn fate had in store for her. If it didn't want her to change its design, then it shouldn't have planned to turn her into a doting housewife who lost herself in her marriage.

"Goten mentioned Trunks earlier today, do you remember? That's his best friend," Gohan said, finally breaking the tense silence.

Videl tilted her head, wondering where he was going with this. "Yes, I remember. I already knew he was Goten's best friend, for that matter."

Gohan cracked a mild, kind of ironic smile. "Well, Trunks' father is basically a genocidal murderer."

"Wh-What?" She stared at him with wide eyes, not quite sure she had understood him right. Surely she must have misheard him. Wasn't Trunks' mom Bulma? How would such a brilliant mind, such an influential and world-renowned businesswoman end up getting together with a… genocidal murderer? Who would in their right mind choose to live with that kind of monster?

"Well, I should've said was, actually. He doesn't kill anymore. And, well, it wasn't really his fault, either. See, he was the prince of the planet my dad came from. The people there were warriors, and they worked for a tyrant who would hire them to wipe out entire populations of planets that would be deemed worth selling. That's just what was seen as normal in his past life. He's changed now, and while I wouldn't go so far as to say that he's a good man, he's not so bad either. I think he was never that bad; being evil was just all he was ever taught."

Videl nodded dumbly, slowly digesting everything Gohan was saying. She still had trouble believing Bulma would procreate with a man who used to kill billions of people as a way to make a living. There had to be more to the story.

Her cursed curiosity was dying to know more about how Bulma ended up with Vegeta. She wondered if Gohan even knew their story. It was probably not even worth asking him. It wasn't really the subject here anyway. Why was Gohan talking about Vegeta, for that matter?

"My point is," he continued, "Trunks is a great kid. Sure, he's got a mischievous side to him and he loves to pull pranks on everyone, but that's just him being a carefree kid. I love him like family; he's really an awesome kid. It doesn't matter who his dad used to be and all the horrible things he had done in his life. Trunks is his own person." Gohan's gaze softened, causing her heart to clench. "And so are you, Videl. Even if your dad is a compulsive liar, even if he did a terrible thing, you're nothing like him. You're honest and righteous and you do your best to help people when they're in need." Gohan cracked a smile, and Videl felt herself flush at his words. His beautiful coal eyes weren't helping, either. "You're pretty amazing yourself, really. And I don't even know you all that much. But I'm sure if I did, you'd only prove to be even more amazing as a person."

The lump caught in her throat seemed to have made itself at home in there. Videl tried to swallow it but to no avail. Her face felt like she had forgotten her sunscreen on a hot summer day. Her heart was apparently running a marathon in her chest, and it didn't look like it was ready to let up the pace anytime soon. It was beating so hard, the deafening pulse hitting her eardrums so loudly that Videl was surprised Gohan couldn't pick up the ruckus it made.

The waiter came back with their orders at that moment, but Videl paid him no mind. She couldn't take her eyes off the boy sitting across from her.

She was detailing his every trait. Gohan was handsome, that much was obvious, but his beauty wasn't only outward. He was such an amazing person himself. He was beautiful inside and out. He had the purest of souls, the kindest of hearts, just like in the dreams she used to have about him ━ about them.

He happily started eating his slice of pie, seeming content with his speech. Videl swallowed once more. Was she doing the right thing by going against fate itself? Gohan was just so… perfect. She knew her feelings for him would only grow with time. Was she only delaying the inevitable? Was Gohan her endgame no matter how hard she tried to change her own destiny?

Why was she so attracted to him? Why couldn't she help wishing things were different, that there was a way for her to accept her fate and not end up like the woman in her visions?

Why couldn't she just be with him? Why did things have to turn out this way? It wasn't fair. It was sadistic, even. To give her a chance for the most incredible love story, but at the price of the very thing that made her who she was. Why would she be doomed to lose her identity if she ever married Gohan? He was such a great guy, and if he loved her, he wouldn't try to change her.

So, what was it? Why would she turn into that woman from her nightmares? Why couldn't she just be happy with the boy she liked?

"You're not eating?" Gohan inquired, a look of concern creasing his brow.

She blinked out of her thoughts. Videl lowered her gaze to her plate, and picked up her fork wordlessly.

"Are you okay?" Gohan asked her, notes of worry in his voice still. "Are you still thinking about your father?"

"No," she replied truthfully. "I'm thinking about…" She swallowed. "My visions. About you. About… us."

"Oh."

He fell silent for a while, and they both continued eating without saying a word. The pie was really good, at least. The iced tea was refreshing, too. She could've enjoyed it more if her stomach wasn't tied into tight knots, though.

"Could you tell me more about it?" Gohan finally broke the silence, and their gazes met when she looked up from her plate. His onyx eyes felt like they pierced through her once again, reaching into her very soul.

Videl swallowed thickly, but she couldn't look away. "I… No. I can't, Gohan. I'm sorry. You've been so honest with me and you even did your best to cheer me up… and yet I can't even answer your one question." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You were wrong, Gohan. I'm not amazing." She opened them again, locking gazes with him. "I'm a selfish coward who decided to go against fate just because I didn't like what I saw."

"You didn't like what you saw…?" he repeated, tilting his head. "And it's… about us. Do I do something to you?" His eyebrows scrunched up, digging deeply into the bridge of his nose. "Do I hurt you?"

"No, of course not," she replied instantly before she could stop herself. Videl bit her lip, unsure of what she could or should tell him. Gohan deserved some kind of answer, even if telling him the whole truth was simply not an option.

"Then what is it? What happens that's so bad that you don't even want to be friends?"

"I… change," Videl finally said, forcing the words out. "Your influence in my life… it changes me, and I… I don't like what I become."

He watched her carefully. "Because of me?"

"Yes. Because of you, for some reason, I turn into someone… someone I don't want to become."

His gaze dropped to his empty plate, his brow still deeply creased. "I'm sorry. For whatever I did… or would have done to you to turn you into a person you don't like."

She cracked a smile. "You're apologizing for something you didn't even do yet?"

He raised his head and planted his eyes deeply into hers. "I'm sorry that because of what I would have done to you, we can't even be friends. Because I really do think you're amazing, Videl. You… fascinate me. I can't really explain it but I just… I don't know. I think I just like you a lot and I hate that we can't be friends."

Heat rushed to her face at his words. Of course, Gohan only meant it platonically, that he liked her as a friend. Still, hearing him say those things made her heart leap and dance in joy. I… fascinate him? she repeated after him in wonder. She couldn't help feeling absurdly pleased with his choice of phrasing. I fascinate him… she thought once more, her smile growing.

"I know how you feel," she admitted quietly. "And a part of me wishes I didn't know what I know, that I never had those visions. That way, I would've just let destiny live its course without having to worry about how it would affect me in the long run."

He pinched his lips together. "Is it really that bad? My influence on you."

"For me, it is." She shook her head. "I just can't risk it. I'm sorry, Gohan."

You have no idea how sorry I am…

"I guess… there's nothing we can do now." His shoulders slumped as a heavy sigh slipped through his lips. "I'm sorry too. For being the reason for the person you don't want to become."

How adorable.

Videl sighed in resignation. Why did she have to like him so much? Why did Gohan have to be so amazing?

"I forgive you," she replied, her tone playful. Gohan cracked a smile at her, and Videl let out a soft, dreamy sigh as she let herself get lost in his handsome eyes. They were like a black hole, attracting her irrevocably even if it meant her doom.

But she just couldn't let it happen. She would be risking too much. The price for being with Gohan was simply too high ━ a price she wasn't willing to pay, no matter how much she wished she could just let go and tell Gohan how she felt about him.

A lump rose in her throat once again, while Videl felt herself drown into the handsome young man's pitch-black eyes.

Damn it. Damn it all. Why couldn't she stop it? Videl could feel herself falling harder for him with every minute they spent together.

She swallowed, but the lump caught in her throat wouldn't go down. The girl stood then, and Gohan's enchanting eyes followed her movement. She could see the regret and longing in them, and Videl averted her gaze, unable to bear the sad, puppy look on his face.

She needed to go. To get as far away from Gohan as possible. They had just made everything so much worse. Videl realized the power of fate, and she could feel that it wasn't going to give up without a fight. And it turned out to be a formidable opponent for sure.

But Videl's willpower was stronger than her cursed fate; her resolve was absolute. No matter how her feelings for the boy grew deeper with every second in his company. Her crush didn't matter. Nothing mattered but her goal.

She was never becoming that woman. Period.

"You… You're leaving?" he asked, his tone dropping with disappointment.

"It's better that way, Gohan," she told him, indulging herself one last look at him as she said those words. "Spending time together like this… As much as I enjoy hanging out with you, it's just making things worse. For both of us. I don't want to lead you on or string you along, Gohan, because I'm not changing my mind… as much as I wish I could."

He pursed his lips, as though he was stopping himself from saying something. Maybe Gohan wanted to protest her decision but forced himself to respect it.

He was so sweet and considerate. Damn it, he was just making things harder for her.

"Well… I enjoyed hanging out with you too. And I'm sorry I'm the reason it can't happen again."

She sighed. "Yeah…"

Videl turned away, getting out of their booth. Her heart wept in misery as she walked away from the boy who would have become the love of her life if she had just let him.

But the price was just too high.

Her chest throbbing painfully, Videl allowed herself to look back at Gohan one last time ━ this time for real.

Did he have to be so handsome and cute and just so perfect all around? His puppy eyes were killing her.

"See you at school," he said with a sad, wistful smile.

Videl swallowed thickly ━ uselessly. That damn lump just wouldn't go down.

"Yeah…"

* * *

A look of disgust contorted her traits at the pitiful sight before her. Her father, in all of his glory, was sitting on the carpet with his head resting on the couch cushion, an almost empty bottle of vodka in his hand, his hold on it loose against the carpet.

"Ughh, I don't feel so good," he groaned.

How could he get so wasted when it was barely evening? A frown etched across her brow as a thought occurred to Videl. Could it be…? Did her father get so completely drunk because of their fight earlier? It made sense. He must be freaking out that she knew the truth. She wouldn't put it past him to try and forget about what happened by drowning himself in alcohol.

Sighing in resignation, and hoping he wasn't going to puke at any moment, the girl hoisted the burly man up and put his arm around her shoulder. The height difference didn't matter because Mr. Satan wasn't standing on his feet. Rather, she was dragging him, his legs sliding on the carpeted floor.

He was heavy, but nothing Videl couldn't handle. She may not look like much, but her strength was nothing to laugh at. As she carried the whimpering drunkard, Videl idly wondered if she had surpassed her father by now. She supposed there was only one way to find out. And while she wasn't that excited about the Tenkaichi Budokai, what with the strongest fighters on the planet not partaking in the competition, it would at least determine if she had indeed become stronger than the current world champion.

They should get an elevator, Videl told herself as she carried her father up the stairs. There was only one flight, thankfully, and the girl was starting to get winded by the task. She had been pretty active today, though, she reminded herself. Sparring with Sharpner, taking a long run, some more training to vent out her frustration at her father, and lastly, crime-fighting. She was just a little worn out. It was a good thing she'd had something to eat before getting home.

At last, they reached her father's bedroom, and she dropped him on his bed.

He groaned and mumbled something, but Videl didn't understand what he was trying to say. She sat on the edge of the bed and lowered her head to move her ear closer to his mouth, pushing her pigtail out of the way. Her nose wrinkled at the heavy smell of alcohol, and she used her spare hand to pinch it.

"I'm… a clown. Making a fool of myself for the people. A clown… He was just a kid, and I took… everything from him. I'm… the worst. The fame, the glory… I got lost in it. And now…" His voice was breaking. "My little Videl…" He sniffed. "My little Sweetpea… She's never gonna forgive me… She's everything to me. And now I'm gonna lose her."

Videl felt a lump rise in her throat, her eyes welling up at her father's drunken confession.

Straightening up, she wiped his tears from his face. "You're not going to lose me, Papa," she said in a soft voice.

But he'd already fallen asleep. Videl cracked a small smile. Her heart felt lighter. Her father wasn't a bad man. He was aware that what he did was wrong and he regretted what he had done, but things had gotten too far and it was too late to go back now.

He wasn't a bad man. Just someone who made a horrible mistake. He was only human.

He wasn't a bad man.


	10. His Surprising Sharp Eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year everybody! <3

Sharpner had a hard time focusing on training after Videl left. They hadn't been done with their sparring match so he had stayed to keep training. However, his mind had been elsewhere and, for the life of him, the boxer just couldn't get his head back in the game. In the end, Sharpner went home shortly after Videl left and isolated himself in his room. He tried passing the time by scrolling down on social media on his phone, but he was barely seeing the posts from the pages and people he was following. His mind was still trying to wrap around what Videl had said earlier.

And then he got a notification about an ongoing bank robbery turned into a hostage situation, and he went to the living room and grabbed the remote to change the channel and watch the news. His little sister started to protest, for he interrupted her program, but she quickly fell quiet when she saw what it was about.

They were covering the bank robbery, but the situation was apparently quickly taken care of.

The Great Saiyaboy, who appeared to be Saiyaman's little brother, had made his grand debut. Sharpner had raised an eyebrow at the new tidbit of information. So, it seemed that superpowers ran in Saiyaman's family, because his younger sibling seemed to be as gifted as the grown-up superhero, despite being only seven years old, which was one of the only things the superhero duo had agreed to reveal to the media.

He couldn't help staring in embarrassment as the brothers proceeded to take some ridiculous poses as they once again introduced themselves and announced that everything was under control, their routine uncoordinated and so lame that it hurt to watch, but Sharpner just couldn't look away. And then they ended in a final pose, standing back to back with their arms crossed, looking at the cameras with big grins on their masked faces, before bidding their goodbyes and taking off into the sky.

And then the cameras rushed to Videl, who had teamed up with the superhero duo to take down the criminals. She gave a brief account of what happened and quickly excused herself.

The newswoman was on camera now, concluding the report, and Sharpner let out a deep sigh as he leaned back into the couch and turned off the TV.

"It's so cool that you're friends with Videl," commented Harper, his thirteen-year-old younger sister who was sitting with him on the couch. She discreetly tried to get the remote back to continue watching her show, and Sharpner acted like he didn't notice her since he couldn't care less now that he'd seen the news. "She's so awesome."

He distractedly hummed in agreement, crossing his arms as he still tried to make sense of what Videl had told him earlier today.

Did she really have dreams of Gohan _before_ meeting him? And the way she reacted when he asked what her relationship with the guy was… It looked like they were romantically involved in Videl's dreams, which seemed to have been about her future… with Gohan.

It was just all so weird. Was Videl psychic or something? But there was no such thing as psychics, everyone knew that. Well, according to Mr. Satan anyway, and, surely, Videl's dad knew what he was talking about. After all, he did kill Cell and save the world, and if Cell hadn't been using magic tricks to pretend he had superpowers, Mr. Satan wouldn't have been able to beat him.

And why would the dreams stop once Videl met Gohan, for that matter? Sharpner could see why Videl had seemed so confused when she tried talking to him about it. He could understand why she had been too embarrassed to keep going, too.

Would Gohan and Videl actually end up together? The teen couldn't help wondering.

Fiddling with his phone, he debated with himself on his next move. Because he had to do something, he had to find out more. He was never going to get any rest and would keep racking his brain about it if he didn't get to the bottom of this thing.

He scrolled down his contact list, and stopped at the letter _G_ when Gohan's name appeared. An idea started forming in his mind. Sharpner chewed on his lower lip as he debated with himself on what he should do.

In the end, he decided to go for it and typed a message to his friend. He quickly hit send before he could change his mind. And then he waited.

His phone started ringing, Gohan's name displayed on the screen, and the blond rolled his eyes before answering the call.

"Can't you just text me back?"

"Sorry," came Gohan's reply followed by a sheepish laugh. "I'm not really used to texting and I figured it would be easier to just call you. I hope I'm not bothering you?"

"Nah, it's fine," Sharpner brushed him off.

"Anyway, I happen to be in the city right now, so yeah, sure, we can meet up. Where do you live?"

"I'll text you the address, and I'll be waiting for you downstairs, there's a park just on the other side of the street so we can hang out there. Text me when you're close."

"Sounds good to me. See you in a bit."

Sharpner replied in kind and they hung up, and then he texted Gohan his home address. A reply came almost immediately, this time by text, and Gohan told him that he was nearby and wouldn't take more than five minutes. Huh, what a coincidence. Sharpner shrugged and got up, let his parents know he was going out for a bit, and went down the stairs to get out of the building and wait for Gohan outside.

And, soon enough, he saw the spiky-haired teen walking towards him, and they waved at each other.

"So you just happened to be around, huh?" Sharpner asked ironically, an eyebrow raised at the other boy who chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head like he always did when he felt uneasy.

"Yeah. I came to visit the city with my little brother, actually, but he went home ahead of me. I, uh, had something to do first."

Sharpner gave him a skeptical look. "Didn't you say he was like six? And that you live out there in the mountains like thousands of miles away? And he just went home on his own?"

"O-Of course not!" Gohan replied quickly, waving his hands frantically as a nervous laugh slipped through his lips. "My, uhm, my mom, she came to pick him up, obviously." He gave another awkward chuckle. "And he's seven, by the way."

They started to walk, going toward the small park on the other side of the street. "Huh, that's funny. The Great Saiyaman's little brother is also seven. I just saw them on the news. They stopped a bank robbery with Videl."

"O-Oh, really? I, uh, I haven't heard…"

Sharpner narrowed his eyes at his friend. Gohan definitely looked suspicious, and he sounded like he was lying, too. But why would he lie about something like that? It didn't really make sense, so Sharpner decided to believe him.

Another thought occurred to the blond and he tilted his head. Could it be Gohan was nervous because he'd mentioned Videl? Maybe his assumption was correct after all… But there was only one way to find out: at the source.

"Speaking of Videl," the boxer started. They got to the park and found themselves a bench, sitting down. "What's up with you two?"

A look of genuine confusion crossed the other teen's face as he tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why she's been avoiding you? It doesn't make much sense to me," Sharpner said, even though he had an idea now, after what Videl had confessed to him earlier. "I mean, if _I_ can become friends with you when you're such a big nerd, then you could become friends with basically _anyone_."

A frown etched across the dark-haired boy's face, like he was thinking about what to answer. This piqued Sharpner's interest, and he turned fully on the bench to watch Gohan better, waiting for his answer.

"It's… complicated," he finally said. "It's not because we don't get along or anything ━ because we do get along. Really well, actually. We came across each other today, for that matter, and we hung out for a bit." A fond smile formed on Gohan's lips while his gaze unfocused, evidently thinking back of the time he got to spend with Videl earlier. "It was… really nice. Videl's pretty great."

"I'm surprised she didn't avoid you again," Sharpner commented.

"Yeah, I was too, but I think my little brother may have had something to do with it." Gohan grinned. "He's _really_ cute, and I think even Videl couldn't resist."

Sharpner chuckled in amusement. He knew for a fact that his childhood friend had a soft spot for kids, so Gohan's cute little brother enticing Videl to stay and hang out wasn't surprising in the least, all things considered.

"So, you guys hung out and it was nice, that's what you said, right?"

A faint blush formed on Gohan's cheeks while his gaze lowered to his fists resting on his lap. Sharpner quirked an eyebrow. Perhaps he really _was_ on to something.

"Yeah. I really like Videl, but even though she said she liked hanging out with me, she said we can't be friends."

Sharpner gave Gohan a long look, scrutinizing him for clues on his investigation.

"When you say you like Videl, you mean…" He trailed off, hoping the other boy would catch on without having to spell it out to him. Alas, Gohan looked up at him with utter confusion, obviously having no idea what he was trying to ask him.

Goodness, this guy was hopelessly clueless.

"I mean, you _like_ like her?" he insisted.

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, apparently not familiar with the very common way of asking if you liked someone as more than a friend.

Sharpner heaved a deep sigh. "I _mean_ , do you like her as a guy who likes a girl? Like, are you attracted to her? Do you have feelings for her?"

Well, he couldn't have spelled it out to Gohan any clearer, so if the other teen still had no clue, then this was simply hopeless.

But some clarity seemed to finally reach Gohan, making his eyes widen in realization.

" _Oh_. You mean, like _that_."

This time it was a sigh of relief that slipped through Sharpner's lips. "Yes, like _that_. That's what I'm asking you, Gohan. Do you like Videl?"

He tilted his head and his eyes shifted upward and to the side, as though he needed to think about it. Sharpner was getting impatient as the silence dragged on and Gohan didn't seem like he could make up his mind, so he tried something else.

"Like, do you think she's pretty?"

A blush appeared on the other teen's cheeks at the question, and he looked down with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I mean…" he mumbled. "I didn't really notice at first, because she was scowling a lot on my first day and all. But… the first time I saw her smile, it did cross my mind ━ that she was pretty."

A satisfied smile formed on the blond's face. Okay, they were making progress. If he could find out how Gohan really felt about Videl, then he could get an idea as to whether Videl's dreams may come true or if they were just a weird coincidence that didn't have to mean anything.

"So you're attracted to her," he stated matter-of-factly. Gohan's blush deepened.

"I… I guess. I mean, I never really thought about it before you asked…"

"And you say Videl won't be friends with you even though she said herself that she likes hanging out with you."

Gohan simply nodded his head in affirmation, still too embarrassed to speak.

"Do you have any idea as to why?"

The blush receded as a frown took up Gohan's boyish traits. "I do, kind of. And there's nothing I can do about it. Videl won't change her mind."

Sharpner waved him off. "Don't give up so easily. I actually think you may have a chance with Videl. I've known her since we were kids so I know what I'm talking about."

Gohan looked up at him at that, his eyebrows raised. A glint of hope shone in his onyx eyes, and Sharpner smirked. Yep. Gohan definitely liked Videl as more than a friend. That meant Videl's dreams were probably visions of their future together.

But why would they make Videl avoid Gohan, refusing that they even be friends? What could've been so bad that would make Videl try to stop what she had seen from happening?

Maybe things didn't end well between them. That was the only explanation Sharpner could think of. Maybe they had a horrible breakup and Videl was trying to save herself from the heartbreak. Yeah, that made sense, and it totally sounded like something Videl would do, too.

Well, that was a real shame. He could really see Gohan and Videl work as a couple. They did seem to get along well despite Videl's best efforts at staying away from the boy.

What if there was a way for them to still be together and avoid the drama and the heartache? Surely, Videl should've seen what had caused the issues between them and could use that to help the relationship. Of course, knowing Videl, it wasn't surprising that she would choose to avoid the situation and the risk of having her heart broken completely, but Sharpner believed this would be a waste. Gohan was an all-around great guy and he would be pretty perfect for Videl. As someone who had known the girl since elementary school, Sharpner did know what he was talking about.

"You really think Videl could change her mind?" Gohan asked hopefully.

Sharpner quirked a smirk. "Of course. Leave it to me, I'll just talk some sense into her. I'm sure she's just scared to get her heart broken. She's got a hard time letting people in since her mom died."

Gohan's lips parted at what he just said, his eyes widening slightly. "Videl's… lost her mom?"

Sharpner's smile toned down with sympathy. "Yeah. I guess you two have that in common. Losing a parent. Sorry."

Gohan nodded gravely. "Thanks. I wish I'd known. I wish we could just be friends."

"Just friends?" Sharpner asked, his tone full of innuendo. Gohan's blush was back in a flash at the insinuation.

"It'd be a start," he mumbled. Sharpner chuckled in amusement at the other guy's embarrassment. "I mean… I guess I do like her like that. But I'd be happy if we could at least be friends."

Sharpner grinned. Yep, Gohan was perfect for Videl. Someone as considerate and kind-hearted was just the type of guy Videl should be with.

"Well, leave it to me. I'll talk to her on Monday. I think she'd be too embarrassed to talk to me for the weekend."

"Embarrassed? Why's that?" Gohan asked, tilting his head to the side.

"She kinda told me something in a hypothesis way, but I figured out what she meant and she got super embarrassed. She left our training session right then and there even though we weren't done yet." Sharpner nudged his friend. "It was about you, too."

Gohan perked up. "About me? Really? What did she say?"

"Can't tell you that. I would be a bad friend if I just blabbed what Videl tells me in confidence to just anybody ━ even if you're not just anybody. But you get my point."

Gohan smiled. "Yeah, I do. You're a really good friend, Sharpner. We're lucky to have you, Videl and I."

"You bet you are!" Sharpner confirmed in a joking tone, letting out a small laugh. "But well, what are friends for?"

Gohan nodded in agreement. "What about you? How are things going with Erasa?"

Now it was the blond's turn to have a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you like her, right?"

Gohan's question was met with dumbfounded silence. Sharpner stared at him, blinking a few times, then blinking a few more times, not quite processing what he just heard.

"I mean… you two obviously like each other. Even I could tell ━ that's how obvious it is."

Sharpner blinked some more. "...What?"

"Well, you know, the other day Erasa was talking about some cute guy from another class and you were all frowning and scowling. Wasn't it because you got jealous?"

"What are you _talking_ about?" Sharpner finally uttered in disbelief.

Gohan looked upward and to the side, his head tilted. "Did I get it wrong? I do pick up on those things from time to time. Like how I figured out that my friend Krillin was in love with 18. I was pretty proud of myself too, because I was the only one who saw it, and I got it right too. Krillin still feels sore about how I just blurted it out in front of her, but they got married in the end so it all worked out, right?" He shook his head. "Anyway, I may have gotten it wrong about you and Erasa. But you guys are always flirting with each other and you look like you like each other as more than just friends. Or did I get it wrong?"

Sharpner was still blinking. "Me… and Erasa?"

A lump rose in his throat. His face felt flushed. His heart seemed like it couldn't stand in place. His hands were clammy, and he wiped them on his jeans. Why was his body reacting in this way? What did this mean? Why was Gohan talking about him and Erasa as though it was a fact?

Could it be… Had he had feelings for Erasa all along and never realized it? Yes, she was gorgeous, but any guy would agree to that. And she was super nice and friendly, and she was one of his best friends. Sure, they always had fun when they hung out, but that was because they were super close friends and have known each other for years. Yes, she was awesome and beautiful and funny and cute and…

Where was he going with this again?

"Me… and Erasa."

His eyes unfocused, staring towards the ground without seeing the brown earth as he considered his feelings for the beautiful blonde for the first time. Yes, he did get moody when Erasa started gushing about some guy she thought was cute ━ he never liked it when that happened, for that matter. Did it mean he got jealous? Because he wanted Erasa's attention for himself?

Sharpner swallowed, his face feeling more and more flushed.

"Did I say something wrong?" Gohan asked in concern, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sharpner. I'm still learning about this whole social cues thing. Being homeschooled does that to you…"

Sharpner shook his head. "No, it's alright, Gohan. It's just… I never realized it." He looked at his friend with an awkward smile. "But you were right. I think I do like Erasa, as more than a friend."

Gohan perked up at the confession. "Oh, so I did get it right?"

"As astounding as it seems, you did," Sharpner teased with a chuckle. It was a wonder that someone who was usually so clueless and never noticed whenever a girl tried flirting with him ━ even as obvious as they were, and it had been happening _a lot_ over Gohan's first week of school ━ would pick up on something that apparently even went past Videl's cunning eye.

How come Videl _didn't_ notice, for that matter? Sure, she didn't really have experience with romance and relationships, but she was usually so sharp. Nothing ever went past her, and yet, she never even saw that her two best friends may have something more going on.

"And you think Erasa likes me too?" he couldn't help asking Gohan.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah. I noticed that she started pouting when you were hitting on a girl by her locker."

Damn, that kid was sharp. How come he never saw it when a girl hit on _him_? Was he only able to tell these things when he wasn't the one concerned? Some people were like that, Sharpner figured.

"Are you going to tell her how you feel?" Gohan inquired, a curious glint in his eyes. Sharpner rolled his.

"Don't talk like a girl. And I guess I'm going to ask her out, yeah…" But there was some hesitation as he uttered that sentence.

Should he ask Erasa out? They had been friends for so long. What if it didn't end well? What if their friendship didn't survive an eventual break-up?

"What's wrong?" Gohan asked.

Sharpner shook his head. "I'm just overthinking this. It's like with you and Videl. It's a risk we'll have to take."

Gohan cracked a smile at that. "I can talk to Erasa for you if you want. You know, to lay out the groundwork."

Sharpner chuckled. "Alright then. I'll talk to Videl, and you'll talk to Erasa. Not that I need the help, but, you know, at least this way we can help each other."

"Sounds good to me," Gohan said, a grin digging into his cheeks. "But I only want you to convince Videl to be friends with me for now, nothing more, alright?"

Sharpner rolled his eyes. "Riiight. "For now", as you say." He mimicked quotation marks with his fingers. Gohan blushed deeply at the implication, apparently only now realizing his own slip-up. Sharpner smirked. "Well, you two be friends at first, it's fine, because I'm sure things will go their natural course from there."

Gohan raised a hand to cover the lower part of his face, trying to hide his flamboyant cheeks. "Man, I can believe I never realized how I felt until you pointed it out."

Sharpner laughed. "Preaching to the choir, bro. And _I've_ known Erasa for years, so it's even worse!"

They laughed in self-derision. Good thing they had friends who were willing to point them in the right direction when they were being dumb.

* * *

It was way past dinnertime, and Videl knew her father didn't like missing a meal. So, she went back to his room and decided she should wake him up. Hopefully, he would have sobered up by now, or at least be in a good enough state to hold a conversation. Because they still needed to talk.

"Papa? Papa, wake up." She shook his shoulder, and he groaned. The lights were on and she saw his eyes slowly open, his face taught in a painful frown. She helped him sit up and brought to him a water bottle and a couple of painkillers. "Here, take this, you'll feel better in a bit."

He obliged without a word, and let out a sigh after gulping half the bottle.

"Thanks, sweetie," he said.

"You missed dinner," she told him, "but I had the chef keep your plate warm. Are you hungry?"

He turned to her, his eyes squinted as though he was fighting a headache, but still managed a meek smile. "Thank you, Sweetpea."

She helped him up and out of the room, and then down the stairs and to the dining room, where a foil-covered plate sat on the table on Mr. Satan's usual spot.

Videl sat on the chair adjacent to him at the long and fancy dining table, watching him as he unwrapped his plate and picked up the cutlery to start eating.

She wondered how much he remembered from earlier. Did he even recall their fight or was today just one big blank in his head? Or could it be he was pretending not to remember to avoid confrontation? Yeah, she wouldn't put it past him to do something like that. Videl frowned.

"Papa," she said, her voice quiet, calm. "We need to talk."

His movement froze, his fork standing still, halfway to his open mouth. Without moving an inch, his eyes shifted towards her, beads of sweat gathering on his temple. He finally closed his mouth and set his fork in his plate, before swallowing so loudly in the silent and spacious dining room that it seemed that the noise echoed off the walls.

"Wh-What about?" he stammered. His eyes kept darting from side to side now, and he was fiddling with his hands, fidgeting on his chair, like he couldn't sit still.

His nervousness told her that her father probably did remember their fight. Perhaps he had hoped it was a dream, seeing as she had been nice to him since she woke him up and didn't act like she was still angry at him. Obviously, he had been completely out of it earlier when he drunkenly confessed to her how he felt about what he had done, so it was highly unlikely that he remembered any of it. Which explained why he was so nervous.

"You don't remember it, but you were mumbling when you were drunk earlier," she started. "You were talking about what I tried to tell you earlier. Before I stormed off."

She was giving him a second chance at admitting to the truth without having to force it out of him. Surely, since he obviously felt horrible about what he did, to the point of trying to drown his sorrow in alcohol and try to forget about it; surely, this time he wasn't going to try to lie to her again.

"W-Was I?" he asked, his voice unnaturally high.

"Papa," she said, her tone firm but calm. "Please, tell me the truth."

He watched her, biting his lip, unable to sit still because of how nervous he evidently was. Videl pleaded him with her eyes, hoping this time her dad was finally going to come clean to her.

"How… How did you find out?"

A wave of relief washed over her. He had finally stopped trying to deny it. He was ready to tell her the truth, at long last.

"It doesn't matter. Tell me the truth about what happened, Papa. Please."

Videl was aware that it was hypocritical of her to ask the truth of her father while she, herself, was hiding a big secret from him. But it wasn't something he needed to know anyway, and it would only upset him to even imagine his "little girl" with a guy, let alone getting married. Her father was so overprotective that he had decided one day that if she wanted to start dating, her boyfriend would have to be stronger than him. Him, the world champion.

How ironic ━ Gohan actually fit that description.

But she had erased that future with him. Hopefully. The ghost of his gentle smiles, of his beautiful coal eyes, of the enchanting notes of his voice ━ they were still haunting her. Even as hard as she tried, there was nothing she could've done to stop herself to start developing feelings for Gohan ━ feelings that kept growing the more she spent time with him. Which happened to be quite a lot today, somehow. Fate certainly wasn't on her side, that was for sure.

Her father swallowed once more, his eyes dropping to his plate.

"I… I lied. After everything calmed down, and nobody was left that day. No Cell, none of the fighters, no extraordinarily strong boy ━ they were all gone. And the newsman asked me what happened. I was the only one left standing. I saw an opportunity to get everything I've always wanted, everything I've always worked for ━ and I took it. I lied to them, said I got tired of the other fighters and their tricks and took on Cell, finishing him off in one hit." He smiled dryly. "As if someone like me could ever measure to a monster like Cell."

Her heart was hammering in her chest. He had done it. He had told her the truth, the whole truth. He finally said it. He finally stopped lying to her.

"Actually…" Videl bit her lip in hesitation, but decided that her dad had a right to know at least this. "The boy who was there that day, the one who actually killed Cell and saved the world…"

She trailed off, and Mr. Satan looked up at her expectantly, waiting for her to keep going.

Videl took a deep breath. "He's in my class. That's how I know."

"He… told you?"

"No, I figured out he was Saiyaman, and put two and two together for the rest. He confirmed it to me today, actually. We met by chance."

 _Twice, no less,_ she couldn't help adding for herself.

"So, you're… friends with him?"

Videl pinched her lips together. "Not really. It's complicated. But he did tell me the truth."

A frown was digging between the man's eyebrows. "He's not your boyfriend, is he?"

Videl gave him a smug smile, unable to help herself. "Even if he was, he's stronger than you."

Mr. Satan's jaw hung open at that, and Videl laughed good-naturedly.

"Don't worry, Papa, he's not my boyfriend, and I wouldn't want him to be."

Which was ninety-nine percent true. There was still that one, stubborn percent that hoped she would change her mind and give into her feelings for Gohan, but it was a lost cause. Her stupid heart could beg all it wanted, she was _never_ getting in a relationship with Gohan. No matter what.

Her father sighed in relief at her words. "Okay, good. You got me worried there for a moment."

"You really shouldn't, you know. I'm so not interested in boys right now. I'd rather focus on kicking your ass at the tournament," she said in a joking tone.

"Oh, is that so?" he bantered along, a smirk on his face. "Then I guess I should stop slacking off and train more seriously, huh?"

"You definitely should, but I'm still kicking your ass."

He laughed. Not that fake, horrible laugh that she hated so much. No, it was his real laugh. The one that came from the heart. Videl smiled, feeling a warm, pleasant glow in her chest.

"Oh, we'll see! I ain't giving up my championship belt without a fight."

"And I wouldn't expect you to."

At least it gave her something to look forward to about the Tenkaichi Budokai. Even though the strongest fighters obviously weren't going to participate, it would still be a challenge for her to rise to the top.

Besides, since Gohan was half-alien, wasn't that kind of like cheating, what with his alien genes giving him a natural advantage? Although, he mentioned his friends who weren't aliens like him but could do the same stuff he could do, like flying and shooting blasts from his hands. That meant there were more Earthling fighters who could easily win the championship but wouldn't be entering the competition.

Ah, well. There was such a thing as retiring from martial arts, and Videl supposed that if those fighters weren't going to try and become the world champion, then it meant they had retired, and there was nothing she could do about it.

It was probably Goku's training buddies, for that matter. Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Chaozu. Piccolo too, though she was pretty sure this one was alien too, what with his green skin and pointy ears. And Vegeta, but he was the same kind of alien as Gohan's father.

Those men had been at the Cell Games, too, so they were obviously among the strongest fighters in the world.

But, well, if they weren't interested in the competition anymore, there was nothing she could do about it. Most of them were tournament veterans, too, so it wasn't like they didn't know about the upcoming Tenkaichi Budokai. That meant they decided not to participate on their own accord, and that was all there was to it.

Oh, well. It was still going to be fun. She would get to face up against the best fighters who entered the competition, and they would definitely put up a better fight than the average criminal she would take care of daily, so that was something to look forward to. And she was probably going to fight her father for the championship at one point, so she was finally going to know for sure if her rigorous training had paid off and if she had actually managed to surpass the current world champion.

He may have lied about saving the world, but he had won the previous Tenkaichi Budokai fair and square. And in just over three weeks, Videl would finally know if she was stronger than her father.

She was getting excited about the tournament again. Videl grinned at the prospect. It was going to be a fun day, for sure.


	11. Her Bitter Win

A smirk of satisfaction curled Paige's lips and she strutted along the hallways of Orange Star High on Monday morning. Her weekend couldn't have gone better. She'd been practicing her special skills for the past two days, and the psychic girl was quite happy with her progress indeed. She intended to try out her now stronger powers this very moment, for that matter.

Her destination came into view, and luckily Gohan wasn't late for school this morning. He was by his locker, a carefree smile on his face as he placed his satchel inside and took what he needed for class until the morning break.

And then she scowled as Sharpner gave the handsome boy a strong pat on his back as a greeting, and Gohan perked up. She growled in frustration. What was it about that jock? Couldn't he leave Gohan alone already? This wasn't the first time Sharpner had beat her to getting to the new kid, and frankly, it was getting old. What was a jock doing with a nerd, anyway? Didn't they know about the different social classes in high school? Okay, so Gohan also happened to be remarkably good at sports, but he was still a nerd! Why was Sharpner always glued to him? It was so annoying!

But then Paige smirked. How about she used her newly honed powers on the long-haired blond first? She got closer to the pair of friends, just enough for her magic to affect Sharpner better.

She squinted at the back of his head, sending waves into his mind. She used her power of persuasion, instilling thoughts into his head and making him believe they were his own.

Paige stood there for several long moments, using her psychic powers on her unsuspecting classmate. And then he paused in mid-sentence.

"Oh, wait, I'll be right back. I forgot something in my locker," he told Gohan, before jogging away.

Gohan chuckled to himself, shaking his head slightly, then closed his locker, hugging his books to his chest.

Paige was jubilant. It had worked! It actually worked, and she had only needed to focus on her target for about twenty seconds to make it work this time. The girl was sure that with time and practice, she would probably be able to make her magic work instantaneously.

She walked over to Gohan and greeted him with a sweet smile.

"Hello, Paige. Did you have a nice weekend?" he asked, his tone kind and polite.

She grinned. Now, for sure, Gohan wasn't going to miss her very obvious advances. She was going to ask him out, leaving no room for misunderstandings, and use her power of persuasion on the boy to make sure he would say yes.

And she was going to make sure he would never look twice at Videl, stealing all of his attention to herself.

"I had a great weekend, thanks for asking. How about you?" she inquired in return, laying out the groundwork before getting to the main course.

"My weekend was pretty nice, thank you. I used to study every day when I was homeschooled, and I didn't really take the weekends off back then, so it was a nice change of pace I guess," he said.

Paige was happy that Gohan felt comfortable enough with her to share something personal with her. Perhaps she wouldn't even need to use her power of persuasion on him ━ but one could never be too careful.

"I still had to do my homework of course," he added with a chuckle. "But the workload was a lot bigger back when I was homeschooled."

"Oh, that reminds me, I had a lot of trouble with our Math homework," she said, which wasn't even a lie. "Would you help me study? We could meet after school. I know a nice quiet place we could go to."

"Sure, I can help you," Gohan agreed with a kind smile.

Well, she hadn't quite asked him out, but she hadn't even needed to use her power on him since Gohan was the kind of guy who was always happy to help.

"But I'm not sure I'll be free today after school. I'll let you know later, okay?"

Paige frowned. No, that wasn't okay. She couldn't let him and Videl get close, and even though so far it didn't look like she had anything to worry about in that regard, she wasn't leaving anything to chance. Fate wasn't her best friend right now, what with her tampering with it. It was too risky to let Gohan or Videl out of her sight. She needed to make sure fate wasn't going to come back with vengeance.

She smiled sweetly at him, focusing her psychic powers on the boy's mind as she tried again, "Are you sure you can't today? We have a Math test on Thursday and I'm _so_ not ready for it. I really need your help, Gohan. Please?"

The seconds stretched on as she sent waves into Gohan's brain to make him say yes, whether he wanted to or not. A frown creased his brow while his gaze dropped, and more than twenty seconds passed as Paige kept using her power of persuasion on him.

"I…" He trailed off, his frown deepening.

Could it be that Gohan was fighting her magic? How could it be possible? Everybody that she had practiced on during the weekend had easily complied to her will, so why would Gohan be any different? He may be a genius and an exceptional athlete, but other than that he was just like everybody else. So how could he be able to counter her powerful magic? Could it be that his willpower was just that strong?

But shouldn't the same be said about Videl? The crime-fighter was well-known for her stubbornness and her unwavering willpower, yet Paige had had no trouble at all to make her believe that the dreams she used to have were visions of her future. Granted, it was quite different than the kind of magic she was using on Gohan right now, but surely if countering her powers was possible, Videl wouldn't have been able to be so easily manipulated?

What made Gohan so different, then? How could he be fighting her magic when nobody else had been capable of it?

"Please, Gohan?" she pleaded again. It had been over a minute since she started using her power of persuasion on him, and it didn't seem to have the expected effect on the boy. How was it possible?

Paige focused harder, sending stronger waves into Gohan's brain.

His frown began to fade away. The girl smiled in satisfaction. Finally, it was working. His eyes were blank and emotionless for a few seconds, and Paige used that opportunity to strengthen the spell she had on him.

He opened his mouth, and Paige felt giddy with excitement as he inhaled to start speaking, having no doubt that he was going to agree to meet her after school.

A familiar laugh sounded then, and Gohan blinked out of the daze. He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts, and then looked over her shoulder, behind Paige. A smile curved his lips.

Inwardly fuming, the girl turned around and followed his gaze, and then her jaw dropped. Videl was standing some distance away, chatting and laughing with her best friend, Erasa.

_No way…_

Could it be…? Did Gohan manage to snap out of her spell because he heard _Videl's_ laugh? Or was it just a random coincidence that it happened to be Videl? But then, why did he have that gentle smile on his face as he looked at the girl?

Her throat tightened. What the hell? Did something happen during the weekend? Damn it, she should've been more careful. She should've kept an eye on Videl to make sure fate wasn't going to get in her way. But how could she have suspected that anything could have happened between those two? Gohan didn't even live in the city!

She exhaled slowly. There was probably a better explanation. She was becoming paranoid. Still, Paige made a silent vow to herself not to be as careless in the future. She had to keep an eye on Videl at all times, especially when they weren't in school. Perhaps she should even bring her crystal ball with her every day, despite the risk of getting caught with it. It would at least ensure that she didn't miss anything important when Videl was out of her sight.

"Um, I'll catch you later, Paige," Gohan said, without looking away from Videl. And then he walked towards the two friends, completely oblivious to the livid red-haired girl he was leaving behind.

Paige turned around once more to watch the scene unfold. They weren't very far so she could hear what they were saying. Gohan greeted Erasa first, before turning to Videl with a nervous smile. The girl rolled her eyes.

"You _can_ say hi to me too. I won't bite," she said in a playful tone. Gohan grinned in response, scratching the back of his head.

"That's good to know. I couldn't be too sure ━ that you didn't bite, that is," he bantered along, making the girls laugh and giving a chuckle himself.

Paige watched the exchange in horror. What. The. Hell. Why did those two seem so much closer all of a sudden? Damn it, something must have happened during the weekend somehow. She couldn't believe how stupid and careless she had been! She should never have let her guard down just because things had gone so perfectly last week. How could she let this happen?

The psychic girl breathed deeply, in and out, calming herself down. She was working herself up over nothing. Even if Gohan and Videl did get closer, there was just no way Videl would ever let things get too far between them ━ the dreams Paige had put into her head would make sure of that.

The smirk was back on the red-haired girl's face. Yes, it didn't matter how close Videl and Gohan got with time. It made things even better, actually, because the deeper Videl's feelings for Gohan got, the more it would hurt to force herself not to be with the boy she loved.

It was perfect, really. And her spell had almost worked on Gohan just now. If not for the interruption, Gohan would've said yes and they would've agreed to meet up after school for a potential first date.

Even if Paige didn't understand how Gohan had managed to fight her magic, she was still able to take the upper hand, and with more practice she would become more powerful, and Gohan would soon be at her mercy.

She had time, anyway. Fate could try all it wanted, Videl was never going along with it since she falsely believed that her dreams would become a reality. As long as Videl had no clue as to what her real future should have been like, Paige had nothing to worry about. The distorted visions she gave Videl would ensure that her destiny would never come true. Videl would never have that perfect life fate had had in store for her.

Her eyes narrowed at the way Gohan and Videl looked at each other, the glint in their eyes unmistakable, not to mention the faint blush on their faces and the awkwardness between them. It all proved that they had mutual feelings for each other, and Paige gritted her teeth despite her earlier conclusion.

Gohan wasn't supposed to develop feelings for Videl. How did that happen? It was going to make things more complicated for her when she asked him out. Well, she would just have to get more powerful, and then, even as strong-willed as Gohan was, not even he would be able to resist her spell.

Gohan was going to become her boyfriend, it was just a matter of time. And it was going to break Videl's heart.

Paige smirked at the thought. Yes, indeed, it was only a matter of time. She was going to hit Videl where it hurt the most. And the best part? Videl would be so scared because of her distorted visions that she wasn't even going to fight for the potential love of her life.

And it was all she deserved. That bitch.

* * *

When the bell rang for the lunch break, Sharpner and Gohan shared a meaningful look and nodded at each other. Videl observed the exchange with a thoughtful frown, wondering what those two were cooking up ━ her detective sense was tingling.

Gohan gathered his things and turned to their mutual female blonde friend. "Erasa, may I speak with you, please? If it's not too much trouble. We can have lunch together maybe?"

Erasa perked up, and Videl's frown deepened. She was pretty sure that wasn't what Gohan meant, but it did sound like he may be asking her out. Having lunch together, just the two of them, certainly sounded like a date. Erasa was probably thinking the same, and given the blonde's interest in the "cute new guy", her words (not that Videl disagreed), she may be getting her hopes up about Gohan.

"And I need to have a chat with you, Videl," Sharpner said, and she turned her head to the other side, eying her friend with suspicion. She glanced back at Gohan, then looked at Sharpner once more, putting two and two together. Those boys were definitely up to something. But what was the point of separating the girls to talk with them one-on-one?

"What's going on?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"What? Can't I have something to say to one of my best friends?" Sharpner said in an overly dramatic way, exaggerating the hurt in his voice while making his face look extra shocked.

Gohan and Erasa laughed, but Videl only scowled at him. Did he really think she would fall for his crap?

"Just tell me what you two are up to," she demanded, leaving no room for argument.

And yet it didn't faze Sharpner. "I just have to talk with you about something, and Gohan has to talk to Erasa about something too. Why are you getting so defensive?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Well, I don't mind having lunch alone with Gohan," Erasa chirped happily as she stood up, throwing the spiky-haired boy a flirty wink. Her advances went right over his head, as usual, and Gohan simply smiled and stood in turn.

"Great. We'll catch up with you guys later."

And with that, the two went down the stairs on the side of the classroom, and Videl eyed them all the while until they left through the door, her bullshit radar still going off in her head.

"Come on, Videl. This is kinda important," Sharpner insisted.

"Fine," she finally relented. Her arms didn't unfold as she stood and walked out of the classroom, Sharpner on her tail.

He suggested they went to the roof for more privacy, because he didn't want to take a chance at being overheard. Videl's frown deepened as she walked with him, her mind reeling at what her friend could possibly want with her.

He hadn't mentioned what she had tried to tell him on Saturday, nor did he seem to have blabbed about it to anyone, which Videl was very thankful for. Could it be what Sharpner wanted to talk to her about? She scowled, her head digging between her stiff shoulders. She had _hoped_ he wasn't going to bring it up. Like, ever. It was bad enough that Sharpner had somehow figured out _exactly_ what and who she meant, even as vague as she had tried to be. Yet, Gohan's extraordinary physical prowess always went right over his head, much like any flirtation attempt with the clueless dark-haired boy from any girl went over his. Sharpner sure picked his moments to get cunning…

She _really_ hoped he wasn't going to bring it up. She did _not_ want to deal with that right now ━ or ever, really. It was hard enough having to deny herself her unwanted wish to be with Gohan, she did _not_ want to dwell in the matter any further, or talk about it with anyone, _ever_.

Well, she would simply have to cut it short, Videl decided. Sharpner wasn't getting anything out of her. If that was what he wanted to talk about, that is. The girl still hoped it could be about something else.

Besides, why did Gohan need to talk to Erasa alone? Why would that be part of whatever plan they had cooked up? How could those talks possibly be related?

The two friends got to the roof. Videl leaned against the wall of the staircase house, her arms still tightly crossed as she regarded the long-haired boy with a scowl.

He rolled his eyes. "Geez, what's with the mean face?"

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked point-blank, not answering him. She had no time to beat around the bush.

"About what you tried to tell me last Saturday," he replied in the same blunt way, a smirk curling on his lips. Videl's scowl darkened.

"What makes you think I want to talk about it?"

He shrugged. "If you tried talking about it that day, it means it's been nagging at you, hasn't it? I'm just trying to be a good friend and offer a listening ear."

She sighed, some tension leaving her shoulders. Sharpner was just trying to help; she didn't need to be so harsh with him, even if she had no desire whatsoever to ever mention what she tried to tell him over the weekend.

"Look, I appreciate you trying to help and all, but I'd rather never bring it up again if it's not too much to ask." Her tone was still blunt, but the harshness was gone at least.

Sharpner crossed his arms. "Sorry Videl, but I can't let it go. I saw Gohan Saturday ━ and no, don't worry, I would never blab about something you tell me to anyone, you know me better than that," he added quickly when her eyes widened. "I was just trying to make sense of all of it. And I think those dreams you had really were visions of your future with Gohan."

"Didn't need you to know that," she said, irony lacing her words as she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but I wanted to make sure," Sharpner went on, unfazed. "And the only way was to find out how Gohan felt about you."

This perked her interest ━ against her better judgment.

"Because from what I understand, in those visions of yours, you and Gohan are together, right? Like, in a romantic relationship."

Videl pinched her lips together, her gaze shifting sideways as a burning sensation tingled her cheeks, unable to stop the blush from tinting them. Her reaction seemed to be enough to confirm Sharpner's hypothesis, and the boy kept going.

"That's what I thought. And I got the info I needed from Gohan, too ━ he definitely likes you."

Her heart jolted without her consent, and Videl couldn't help looking at Sharpner with hope in her eyes.

"He told me himself," Sharpner added with a smirk, leaving no room for doubt.

Videl flushed. "Wh… What?"

"He didn't really know until I pointed it out to him, but then he admitted to having feelings for you."

Her heart was now hammering hard against her ribcage, as though it was trying to burst out of her chest.

Was he serious? Gohan… liked her? She had been so sure that her feelings were one-sided, and now he was telling her that Gohan felt the same way?

Videl swallowed thickly, her face still ablaze. She covered it with her hands, trying to hide the very obvious blush, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Why are you telling me this? I didn't want to know!"

Anger had replaced the initial shock and ━ yes ━ happiness at the news. But now that she knew about how Gohan felt about her, it just made things so much worse. Now, she had to deny not only herself, but Gohan too, when they both wished to be together. Now she would always wonder of the what-could-have-been, because it actually could have been, because Gohan had feelings for her too.

"Because I think you're being stupid," Sharpner replied bluntly, not mincing his words. They always had that in common. "I don't know what you've seen that's making you push him away, but that's stupid. You two are perfect for each other, and whatever you saw in your visions, you just have to stop it from happening."

"You think it's that easy? You think I didn't think of it myself?" she snapped at him, baring her teeth. "You have no idea… I can't take that risk, I just can't! I _can't_ let it come true."

"Then don't," he said, as though it were that easy. "Use what you saw to avoid the bad thing from happening. But don't close yourself up just because you're afraid of getting hurt, Videl. You can't keep pushing people away like that, Videl, it's not healthy. And you'd be missing out on something great, I just know it."

"You don't know anything!" Her voice was rising the more frustrated and vexed she got. "It has nothing about getting hurt ━ Gohan would _never_ hurt me."

Sharpner's eyebrows quirked in confusion. "Then what is this about? What are you stopping from happening?"

Videl scowled. "Like I'm gonna tell you."

"And why not? You've told me this much. I could always make you spill it, but I'd rather you be willing to tell me on your own."

"Oh yeah, you could make me, huh?" Her anger was boiling. "And how would you do that, pray tell?"

He frowned, like he didn't like what he was going to say.

"Simple. If you won't tell me, I'm going to talk to Gohan about your visions."

Her throat tightened, her eyes wide with horror. If he told Gohan, who knew what the boy was going to do with the information? What if Gohan decided to fight for her anyway, with no regard to what she would be risking if they ever got together?

"You… You bastard," she gritted out. Angry, frustrated tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. "I can't believe you would… Do you have any idea what I'm risking? Don't you think I have a damn good reason for turning my back on the potential love of my life?"

Sharpner's eyes widened at what she'd let slip up, but Videl didn't even care. What did it matter anyway? Her so-called "friend" was leaving her no choice.

"Fine, I'll tell you ━ but if you let me tell you, we're done, Sharpner. I don't care that we've been friends since we were kids. If you force me to tell you about my visions, then our friendship is over."

His jaw dropped. "W-Wait, wait a minute… You're…" He swallowed hard. His shoulders slumped. "Okay, fine, I won't ever tell anyone about what I know…"

"You better," she said, her tone threatening. The look Sharpner gave her then was so full of hurt, her heart gave a painful pang of guilt.

"I can't believe you would do that, that you would just dump me like I'm nothing after everything we've been through together," he croaked out, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I… I knew you weren't going to risk it," she admitted. "I'm sorry I had to go that far, Sharpner, I really am, but you gave me no choice. I can't let you ruin all of my efforts by telling Gohan what you know. I don't even want to imagine how he'd react, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be good for me."

"You're an idiot," Sharpner stated, his traits hardening. "Gohan really likes you, and he's the best guy you could ever find."

"Who says I'm trying to find anyone?" she retorted heatedly. Why did he have to go and tell her that her feelings for Gohan were mutual? As if this whole mess wasn't hard enough on her!

"You'd be stupid to pass up someone like him. Seriously, Videl, what could be so bad when you said yourself Gohan could very well be the love of your life?"

She silently cursed her slip-up. "It's worse than bad, Sharpner. You have no idea…"

"I really don't," he confirmed with a deep frown.

"And you never will. Nobody will."

He shook his head at her. "You're an idiot," he said once more.

 _But at least I'm still me,_ Videl answered that part for herself. It was her only consolation for turning her back on true love.

* * *

Gohan and Erasa went to the courtyard to have lunch together, sitting face-to-face on one of the picnic tables. Unlike Sharpner, who had addressed the issue with Videl directly, the half-Saiyan had no idea how to talk to Erasa about his friend. But he had promised Sharpner, and he did want to help, even if the other boy said himself that he didn't really need it.

"So…" Erasa started after a while, stretching out the word. She was already halfway done with her lunch. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Gohan chewed slowly, a blush forming on his face as he stared at his lunch box. Erasa perked up at that, wrongly assuming that he might be nervous about asking her out.

"I wanted to talk to you about Sharpner," he finally said after swallowing his food. Erasa tilted her head in confusion.

"What about Sharpner?"

"Well… We hung up for a bit this weekend, and we ended up talking about you."

"Oh, really?" Erasa said with a coy smile, quite pleased with the information.

"…And him," Gohan added, still staring at his lunch box. He took another eggroll and chewed slowly, his face burning in embarrassment at what he was insinuating. Why did he go and volunteer himself to talk with her when Sharpner could very well ask Erasa out himself? Why would he willingly put himself in such an awkward situation?

"What do you mean?" she asked in confusion, apparently clueless as to what he was trying to say.

He felt frustrated that she didn't get it, and suddenly he understood Sharpner perfectly when he'd tried to ask him if he liked Videl as more than a friend on Saturday. He empathized with his friend, but also with anyone who had ever tried to make him understand something by subtly hinting at it, which never worked with Gohan.

He bit his lip. "I mean… You and Sharpner. I've always had a feeling you guys could be more than friends."

Erasa, much like Sharpner had, raised her eyebrows and blinked at him. But she got over it much more quickly than his male friend ━ he had to give that to her.

"You mean…"

And then her hand raised to her mouth, her eyes averted, and she _flushed_. Gohan couldn't help smiling at the very promising reaction.

"Me… and Sharpner?" she murmured, her voice muffled by her hand. And then the hand fell on the bench, and a smile started forming on her lips, while she stared at nothing in particular on the wooden table. "Me… and Sharpner."

 _I knew it,_ Gohan thought happily, giving himself a mental pat on the back. He may be clueless about many things, but he wasn't blind either.

"So you like him too?" he asked for confirmation.

She looked up at him and her breath hitched. " _Too_? You mean…?"

Gohan gave an awkward smile. Well, it was too late to take it back now. Besides, it was better if Erasa knew about Sharpner's feelings, at least that way she wouldn't doubt his sincerity when he asked her out.

Besides, Sharpner had asked him about Erasa's feelings too, and his answer turned out to be a correct assumption.

"Yeah, he likes you too. He reacted a lot like you when I brought it up, for that matter," Gohan recalled fondly.

Erasa's blush deepened. "Oh, geez, oh, gosh… Does that mean he's going to ask me out?" she asked him, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"He's planning to, yes," Gohan replied. "I was just making sure I was right about you liking him back."

"Wait… _You_ figured it out? For real?" she asked in disbelief, and her tone made him frown.

"I do notice these things," he muttered and crossed his arms, vexed at how astonished she sounded at the mere idea that he could have put two and two together all on his own. He wasn't _that_ bad!

"Except when they're about you, I guess," Erasa added with an amused giggle. "Do you know how many girls have been hitting on you since your very first day of school? Me included!"

Gohan blinked. "Huh? Really? When?"

Erasa laughed heartily. "Exactly!"

He gave an awkward smile. Okay, she had a point here.

Well, at least he kept his promise to Sharpner, and now all that was left was for the blond boxer to ask out his childhood friend, who was definitely going to say yes. Not too shabby, was he?

"What is Sharpner talking to Videl about, by the way?"

Gohan looked down and flushed at the question. "Pretty much the same thing as us… but about Videl and me."

Erasa's face lit up. "Oohhhh! You like Videl? Can't believe I missed that!"

His blush worsened. Gohan swallowed hard. "But something's holding Videl back. Because we do get along, but for some reason she won't be friends with me." He bit his lip. "And Sharpner said he was going to put some sense into her… whatever that means."

"How intriguing," Erasa commented with a coy smile, tapping her chin with her forefinger while her baby blue eyes shifted upwards and to the side. "Well, I can't wait for you two to get together!" She clasped her hands together close to her cheek, her finger intertwined. "Oh, and we could go on double dates, too!"

Gohan couldn't help the fond smile that curved his lips at the thought. Even though he told Sharpner he was fine with just being friends with Videl… a part of him still wished for more. And he liked the idea of going out with Videl. Going on a double date with his friends sounded fun, too.

His heart was picking up, unable to help feeling hopeful. How was the talk going between Sharpner and Videl? His male friend had seemed pretty confident he could change Videl's mind, and Gohan really hoped that was true.

Man, to think, just a few days ago, he had no idea he even liked Videl like that… And now she was all he'd been thinking about. Granted, he'd been thinking about her a lot already, even before Sharpner made him realize that he liked her, but now it got so much worse.

His heart jolted in excitement. He'd never felt this way before, and he couldn't help how happy it was making him. When he started high school, Gohan knew he would be experiencing new things, but never did the thought that he would get his first crush ever cross his mind. And yet, here he was, unable to stop thinking about the girl he liked…

Surely Sharpner and Videl's talk went well, right?


	12. His Sinking Heart

The lunch hour was halfway through, yet neither Sharpner nor Videl had come back from their talk. Gohan checked his watch again, getting restless. He had no idea what to expect, but as optimistic as he had been about Sharpner talking him up to Videl, he wasn't so sure anymore. Their prolonged absence didn't feel like a good sign.

Glancing over at his blonde friend who was chatting with some of her friends from other classes in the courtyard, Gohan could see that Erasa wasn't sharing his growing worry. She looked as cheery as always, maybe even more so than usual, probably due to their talk earlier and the promise that Sharpner was going to ask her out.

Deciding that worrying wasn't doing him any good, Gohan went back inside the school building, intent on finding either Videl or Sharpner, whoever appeared first.

His eyebrows drew together as his senses tingled with something he hadn't noticed up before. Videl's ki was pretty high, way past its resting level. But nobody seemed to be around her to serve as a sparring partner, which meant she had suddenly decided to go for a training session in the school's indoor gym.

The fluctuations in her aura did not feel promising. Gohan's frown deepened, more creases forming on his brow. His worry was worsening.

Did it go that bad with Sharpner…? Surely, there had to be another reason for Videl to be so upset?

Gohan tried to stay positive as he went to the indoor gym, hoping that the bad feeling he couldn't shake away wasn't justified.

He found her beating the living hell out of a punching bag. Her hits were erratic and lacked the gracefulness Videl would usually show, on the times he'd seen her fight. Her teeth were grinding, sweat was dripping from her skin, soaking her baggy white T-shirt and the black bike short she was wearing.

His heart tightened at the sight. Her ki was such a jumbled mess of emotions that it was hard to pinpoint what she was feeling.

In any case, it was _bad_. Gohan felt himself grow nervous as he forced his legs forward, going toward the pigtailed girl.

"Videl?" he called hesitantly, making her pause in her assault, holding the pose with her knee deep into the sandbag.

She straightened herself up, and her eyes hardened when they locked on his, her mouth taut in a dark scowl.

"What do you want?" Her tone was as cold and harsh as the look on her face.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't help asking.

She scoffed. "Like you don't know. Whose idea was it, huh? Did you really think it was going to work?"

His heart sank at her words. So Sharpner had failed, then. "I'm sorry. I didn't think━"

"You _know_ why I have to push you away!" she snapped, her voice rising, her tightly closed fists trembling at her sides. "I _told_ you why, and you said you understood! Why would you…? Why did you have to make it all worse? I didn't want to know━ How _could_ you?" Her voice was cracking, tears welling up in her eyes. "After I told you━ How could you send Sharpner to tell me you━ I didn't want to know you had feelings for me!"

Heat rushed to his face and his eyes widened. He couldn't believe his ears. "Wh… Wha…?"

"Don't play dumb!" She sniffed and swept the back of her wrist over her eyes in an angry motion. "You and Sharpner━ you planned for this. You told him you liked me and made sure he could deliver the message to me." She turned away in a huff. "What, did you think I would fall into your arms? Did you think I would just forget about how… about how I would end up if I ever let my guard down around you?"

His throat felt so dry and tight. "I… I'm sorry, Videl," was all he could think of saying.

"Save it." She turned back to him, her eyes unforgiving as she glared murder at the poor boy. "But I have to thank you, I guess. At least now, I'll know better than to let myself go around you."

This couldn't be happening. Why did Sharpner go and tell Videl about how he felt about her? That wasn't what they had agreed on! Sharpner had been supposed to convince her that she should give him a chance and at least agree to be friends with him. But now, all of his progress with Videl was flushed down the toilet. Now, she was so mad she wouldn't even be cordial with him, let alone friendly.

He had to explain his side of the story. He couldn't let Videl think he had anything to do with what Sharpner had told her. However true it may be, Gohan only hoped for them to be friends, nothing more. Okay, fine, he did wish for more, but he wasn't deluding himself into thinking that it was a possibility.

Videl whirled around without another word, her steps heavy as she walked away from him.

His hand was on her shoulder before he could realize that he had moved.

"Wait," he croaked out.

Videl swiftly shrugged him off and gave him a murderous glare, her blue eyes shooting daggers at him as she faced him once again.

His throat was so dry, his voice was barely working. "I'm sorry about Sharpner, but I swear I didn't ask him to tell you about…" His face flushed and his eyes averted to the side in embarrassment.

"Oh yeah? And why should I believe you?" She crossed her arms, her defensive walls so high around her that Gohan would almost feel them pushing him back.

"Because it's the truth." He looked back at her, his eyes screaming honesty as they locked with hers. "I swear to you, Videl, I didn't ask Sharpner to tell you about how I… feel." Gohan pushed through the embarrassment and didn't let his gaze waver as he admitted to his crush on her. "I didn't even realize that I had those feelings until Sharpner spelled it out to me."

"Okay, fine, so that's not what you asked Sharpner to tell me," she conceded, believing his word at last. The harshness in her eyes still hadn't receded, however. "Then what was Sharpner supposed to talk to me about, huh?"

"I… I didn't ask him, but he offered. I told him I wished we could be friends. That's all. Sharpner said he would talk some sense into you. He agreed to only help convince you to be friends with me, nothing more."

"Well, that's _not_ what he said to me!" Her voice was rising once more, her anger taking over all of the jumbled emotions that radiated off her ki. "He told me you had feelings for me, that you told him yourself, and that I was stupid to push you away."

His face burned once again, and Gohan rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm really sorry, Videl, I never asked him to tell you about that…"

"Well that makes no difference, does it?" she remarked bitterly. "And you knew. I told you what I was risking, just being friends with you. I _told_ you. You know how it would change me, how I _can't_ let that happen. And you still let Sharpner talk to me, even if it was only to convince me to be your friend. You knew full well what I would be risking and you still went along with it."

He closed his eyes. She was right. It had been selfish of him, hoping that Sharpner could change her mind, wishing they could be friends, and maybe more eventually. Videl had told him how having him in her life would change her into a person she didn't wish to become. She had admitted that she wished things were different, but that the risks were just too big.

But he liked her so much. Videl was the most incredible girl he'd ever met. She was so beautiful, and brave, and determined, and fiery, and strong, and righteous, and kind-hearted… How could he not like her? How could he not wish for them to get closer?

Gohan swallowed thickly. How selfish of him, imposing his own desires on Videl when she told him exactly why they could never be friends.

"You're right," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He opened his eyes, locking them with hers. "I'm sorry, Videl. I shouldn't have tried again. I do know why you're pushing me away, and I still accepted Sharpner's offer to talk to you. I just…" He swallowed, his face burning as he gathered his courage to keep going. "I really like you, Videl. I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I kinda wish Sharpner didn't make me realize how I felt about you, but it's here now," he said, hitting his chest with the side of his fist, just over his heart, "and I can't make it go away."

He liked the way her cheeks reddened at his confession, and how she broke eye contact to look sideways. If Videl felt even a little flustered by him telling her how he felt, surely it was a good sign, right?

"And you think it's been easy for me?" she muttered bitterly. "Knowing what it would be like, how amazing it could be ━ but having to turn my back on all of it because of how it would change me?"

He didn't reply, observing the girl with a thoughtful frown. The way she spoke, the words she was saying… Something in his head clicked.

Could it be…?

His heartbeat picked up all of a sudden. Just what kind of relationship did they have in Videl's visions? Were they just friends or… Could it be that she had seen them… together? As in… romantically involved?

"Do you like me too?" he blurted out, unable to stop himself.

Her face flushed completely, and she tried to hide her bright blush with her hands. "Gah! What the hell!"

He swallowed. "You do like me," he breathed out, his own cheeks burning up at the realization.

"Just leave me alone already!" She turned her back to him, maybe to try and hide how she felt.

But it was too late. Her reaction was only confirming his assumption. Videl liked him back.

"But…" he tried to protest. Surely, there had to be a way to make this work. If he liked Videl and she liked him too, surely, they should try and see where this could go.

Okay, so Videl did see where it went, and obviously she didn't like what she saw… But couldn't they find a way around it somehow? If she liked him as much as he liked her… Surely it was worth a try?

"You promised you'd stay away from me, Gohan," she reminded him, still unwilling to face him. "I keep your secrets and you let me be, that was our deal. So keep your end of it."

His throat tightened. She was right. He did give her his word.

Was it really hopeless? This couldn't be the end of it. This couldn't be how his first crush was supposed to go. Surely, they could work it out.

But he did make her a promise, and Gohan couldn't go back on his word. It was physically impossible for him to break a promise he had made.

… As much as right now, the boy wished nothing more than to go back on his word.

Videl didn't wait for his reply and walked away. Gohan stood there, watching her go into the locker room, slamming the door behind her.

His heart felt heavy and tight, like something had grabbed it and was squeezing it in a vice-like grip, harder and harder.

A hand rose to his eyes, covering them. This was it, then. His first crush ━ over before it could even begin. Videl may like him back, but she still rejected him. Worse, she made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him.

He stood there for a while, trying to compose himself, to get over what just happened. Eventually, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break. Gohan rubbed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

It was fine. It was going to be okay. He had been through worse. There was nothing time couldn't heal ━ even as broken as his heart felt.

* * *

The situation seemed to have resolved on its own, somehow. On the row behind the four teens concerned, Paige observed the new dynamic between the group. At the end of the row, Gohan was now sitting next to Sharpner, then Erasa was on the next seat, then it was Videl. The girl in question seemed particularly moody, and she had even snapped at her best friend, Erasa when the blonde had tried to ask why she was suddenly changing their seating arrangements.

Gohan looked particularly gloomy. Every now and then, he would glance over at Videl, now three seats away from him, and heave a deep, pained sigh.

Paige raised an eyebrow at the new development. She definitely needed to bring her crystal ball to school, because something obviously happened during the lunch hour today and the red-haired girl did not enjoy ignorance. Screw the risks, she needed her damn crystal ball to keep a closer eye on Videl.

At least, a good thing came out of whatever happened, because Gohan and Videl went back to avoiding each other. Things were back on track.

Did Gohan confess to Videl and got turned down or something? With the way he was looking at her, the longing and heartbreak so evident in his coal eyes, it was the only conclusion she could come up with.

Well, that meant he would need a comforting shoulder to lean on, and Paige was more than happy to provide. Surely, now he would agree to hang out with her after school without a fuss? She could always push him to agree, but Paige would rather he accept of his own free will. It would make things a lot easier if Gohan grew to like her on his own.

When the bell rang for the afternoon break, Paige was quick to take action. She followed Gohan out of the classroom and called out to him.

His smile was half-hearted as he waited for her to reach him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, hoping to find out more about what happened during the lunch break.

"Yeah, I guess." His eyes trailed behind her and he swallowed thickly. Paige turned around, a frown taking up her traits as she saw Videl hurry off, not waiting around for her friends.

"Did something happen?" she pried. "I couldn't help but notice the mood between the four of you… Not to mention, the change of seats."

Gohan dug his hands into his pockets, his eyes downcast as he gave a shrug. "We'll be okay. Thanks for your concern, Paige."

She bit her lip. "I hate to ask for your help at a time like this, but our math class is kicking my ass, and with the test coming up this week…"

He looked at her with a kind smile, running a hand over the back of his neck. His bicep bulged with the fold of his arm, making his sleeve tighten around the defined muscle. Paige felt herself blush, her green eyes glazing over as she let them run over the unsuspecting teen.

Damn, he was hot.

"Yeah, sure," he agreed. Paige smiled, pleased that she didn't even need to use her power of persuasion on the boy. "We can meet up after school."

"Thank you, Gohan! You're the best!" In the excitement of her triumph, Paige gave him a peck on the cheek.

He blinked at her, a slight frown of confusion creasing his brow. Paige flashed him a sheepish smile, her cheeks burning.

She really liked him. This wasn't just about pulling Gohan away from Videl to better exact vengeance on the other girl. Paige was genuinely starting to develop feelings for Gohan, and she was determined to make him like her back.

Unknown to them, Erasa had watched the scene unfold with a deep frown, not liking what she saw in the least.

* * *

It was Wednesday. Things weren't getting any better between Sharpner and Videl, who had not spoken to each other since the lunch break on Monday.

Sharpner had apologized to him for not keeping his end of their deal and for not doing what they had agreed on. While Gohan wished his friend hadn't gone rogue on him, he knew that Sharpner had only tried to help. It obviously backfired, at both of them, for Videl had been shutting everyone out ever since that infamous lunch break.

She wouldn't even speak to Erasa, who had nothing to do with any of this, which really wasn't fair. But if this was Videl's way of dealing with the situation, there was nothing either of them could do, least of all him. Videl had made herself quite clear, and Gohan's word bound him to abide by her wish. He had no choice but to stay away from the girl he liked.

His shoulders slumped in dejection as a deep sigh slipped through his lips. Sometimes, he really did wish Sharpner never made him realize how he felt about Videl. If he had stayed blissfully unaware that he liked her as more than a friend, then he wouldn't be so hurt by her rejection. He wouldn't have confessed to her in the first place, for that matter.

Training with Piccolo in the evenings helped distract his mind. He was making good progress, his natural talent making up for his lack of practice over the years. It was nice, too, not to be training because some new enemy was putting the universe in jeopardy. Trying to hone his skills for no other reason than to get better, not because some evil monster wanted to kill everyone, it really was nice. And spending time with Piccolo was always a plus.

He glanced at Sharpner, who was sitting next to him since the infamous lunch break on Monday. He felt bad that Videl had a fight with their mutual friend about him. Even though Sharpner should have just followed the plan instead of blabbing about Gohan's feelings to Videl; even though he had been supposed to only try to convince her that she should give Gohan a chance and be friends with him, and only friends, he still felt awful that their friendship was strained because of him. They had been friends since they were kids, and now, because of him, they wouldn't even look at each other, let alone speak to one another. And even Erasa suffered from it as collateral damage. And this was all because he had hoped Sharpner could convince Videl to be friends with him, resulting in a big fight that left their whole group of friends strained. If not for him, none of this would have happened.

Gohan sighed again, hating how helpless he was about the whole situation. With all of his strength, he couldn't even help Sharpner and Videl make up when they were fighting about him.

The bell for lunch sounded off, and Gohan followed the crowd as they all walked out of the classroom to get their lunch boxes in their lockers.

"Hey, Gohan."

He smiled at his friend. "Hey, Paige."

She beamed at him. "Thanks again for all your help. I think I might be ready for tomorrow's test, and it's all thanks to you."

"Glad I could help."

"If it's not too much to ask, could we maybe meet up again after school today?" she asked, joining her hands together to accompany her plea.

"Sorry, Paige, but I'm busy today."

Which wasn't true ━ well, not completely. He planned to go see Piccolo for some more training, even though they usually met after dinner. Still, Gohan had already made up his mind as to what he wanted to do after school, and as nice as Paige was, he would rather be left alone right now.

"Oh…" She hung her head in disappointment. Gohan felt a twinge of guilt ━ but not enough to go back on his words.

"I'm sure you'll do fine on the test," he offered in encouragement.

She bit her lip, her cheeks reddening. "I guess… But I was looking forward to spending time with you again."

Something Erasa had mentioned before tickled his brain. She affirmed that girls had been hitting on him since his very first day of school, but Gohan had yet to notice it himself.

Had Paige been flirting with him from the beginning? The boy frowned. Was she hoping for more?

He observed the girl more carefully. He figured she was pretty, with vibrant, thick, wavy red hair and mischievous emerald eyes, the light colors contrasting nicely with her tanned skin.

And yet… He felt nothing. When Gohan thought of the way Videl would make him feel, the way her smile would make his chest glow, the way her beautiful blue eyes would twinkle as she looked at him, before Monday, before getting his heart stomped on.

He still liked Videl, and he wasn't ready to move on with someone new. He didn't want to get involved with anyone, really. Paige was a nice girl, but he couldn't force himself when he just didn't have any feelings for her. It wouldn't be fair to her, and it wouldn't be fair to himself either.

He closed his locker. "Sorry. See you later."

He didn't wait for her reply and hurried away, isolating himself on the roof so as to be left alone during the lunch hour.

It had only been a couple days, Gohan reminded himself as he munched on his lunch with little enthusiasm. He just needed more time. It took months, years even, to get over the death of his father. And this was just a little crush. It should be nothing in comparison. Sill, it was going to take time until the ache in his chest finally lessened.

He just needed to be patient.

* * *

"You should talk to her."

Sharpner's lips pursed in a thin line, his handsome face hardening at her suggestion.

"It's been two days. You guys are going to make up eventually anyway, so why wait?" Erasa reasoned.

They were in the courtyard, sitting together under the shade of a tree while they had lunch together.

"She was ready to throw away our friendship like it was nothing," Sharpner grumbled bitterly. "If anyone should go talk to the other, it should be her."

"But you know how Videl is. She's too proud."

"Well so am I. I ain't talking to her until she apologizes."

Erasa sighed deeply. Sharpner could be so stubborn. He and Videl were alike in more ways than one.

Despite his fight with Videl, Sharpner had still asked her out like Gohan said he would. Erasa had been elated and accepted right away, throwing herself in his arms, and they had shared a loving embrace to seal their new engagement.

She felt awful, though, because she hadn't been able to give all the details to her best friend, who had been pushing everyone away since her fight with Sharpner. Erasa had started dating someone whom she actually saw a future with, and she couldn't even tell Videl about it. Life could be cruel ━ giving with one hand and taking something with the other. She missed her best friend. Why couldn't Sharpner and Videl make up already?

Gohan had been especially gloomy lately, and while he affirmed that it was nothing, Erasa's intuition was tingling. Something had happened. Not just the fight with Sharpner. Something went on between Videl and Gohan, and it did not end on a good note.

"What do you think happened between Videl and Gohan?" she asked her boyfriend, moving on to another subject, even though Videl was still concerned.

Sharpner's frown deepened, but the harshness was replaced with thoughtfulness. "He wouldn't tell me, but I'm guessing Videl blamed it all on him and lashed out at him."

Erasa winced. "Yeah, sounds like her."

"She's being so stupid. Gohan is a great guy and he genuinely likes her. Would it kill her to at least be nice to him?"

"She's not being nice to anyone right now, though… Not even to me."

Sharpner wrapped an arm around her shoulder, offering some comfort. Erasa let her head drop on his shoulder and snuggled up to him, letting out a sigh.

"Sorry. I didn't think she would get so defensive when I told her how Gohan felt about her…" Sharpner mumbled in regret. "I wasn't even supposed to tell her about it… But how could I have guessed how bad she would react?"

"Gohan's such a sweetie, too. The poor guy."

"Yeah…"

The couple fell silent. They had finished eating so they just stayed like that, cuddling with one another, embracing the privileges of their new relationship.

"Hey, guys…"

They both straightened up at the new arrival. Videl wasn't making eye contact, shuffling on her feet, chewing on her lower lip.

"Look who's back," Sharpner bit snidely, rolling his eyes while he crossed his arms.

"Sharpner!" Erasa berated him. "Videl's made the first step; the least you can do is listen to what she has to say!"

He pursed his lips, his arms tightening across his chest, but said nothing else.

"Hey, Videl," Erasa said with a warm, relieved smile. "Come sit with us."

Videl obliged without a word. Her lips were pinched together, still avoiding eye contact with her friends.

"So, um, Sharpner and I, we're together now," Erasa said to break the silence, but also because she'd been dying to tell her best friend about it from the moment Gohan told her it would happen.

"Yeah, so I've noticed…" Videl said in reply. She gave an awkward chuckle. "I can't believe I never saw it coming… I guess you two always acted kinda flirty with each other so I got used to it and didn't look any further."

Erasa grinned. Man, it felt good to have her best friend back. "Is that so? To think the usually so cunning Videl didn't notice something even _Gohan_ picked up on."

The raven-haired girl finally looked at her at that. "Seriously?"

"He's the one who made me realize I liked Erasa as more than a friend," Sharpner cut in, still not looking at Videl and still not forgiving her, since she hadn't even apologized properly after all, but offering his two cents anyway. "He's not as clueless as he seems ━ at least, not when it he's the one concerned."

"He said we reacted in the same way," Erasa added with a grin, "when he told Sharpner and then me that we should be together."

"Did he, now?" Sharpner smirked at his girlfriend.

"He did mention I recovered a lot faster than you," Erasa teased back. "Was it that shocking to you, to realize how you felt about me?"

Sharpner laughed. "You have _no_ idea. I think I was gaping at him for a while before it finally dawned on me that he was right."

Erasa giggled. "I wish I'd seen the look on your face."

"According to Gohan, it was the same look you had. So, you know."

She punched him on the shoulder playfully. "You're so silly."

Videl watched her friends flirt and tease each other, a heavy brick weighing in her stomach. To think she'd missed it. Her two best friends became an item ━ and she had missed it. She had been too focused on herself and her own little problems to be a good friend and be there when it counted. And now she had missed a big milestone between her two best friends, and it was too late to go back.

"I'm so sorry," she blurted out, making the two blonds look at her. "Sharpner, I'm sorry about our fight. I have my reasons, but I went too far when I threatened to throw away our friendship, even if I didn't really mean it. And Erasa," she added, turning to her best friend in the whole world, "I'm so sorry about the way I've been to you when you had nothing to do with any of this. It's just… Things are so complicated, and I didn't want to see anyone, but now all I can think about is how I missed the moment my two best friends get together."

"Well, I can still tell you all about it," Erasa offered with an excited glint in her eye.

"I would love that," Videl said with a relieved smile. Then she turned her hesitant gaze to her other best friend. "Sharpner…?"

He smiled. "Yeah, okay. Water under the bridge. I'm glad to have you back, Vi. Didn't think you had it in you to apologize."

She blushed and averted her eyes. "Well, sometimes you have to push past your damn pride and do the right thing."

"Aww, Vi, you're growing! I'm so proud of you!" Erasa threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly, rubbing her cheek against hers.

Videl chuckled. "Thanks, E."

Well, that was one thing off her chest. Of course, the other thing was doomed to stay bottled down… She and Gohan would never have closure, no matter how much she wished for things to be different.

It was hard to believe that Gohan had been the one to give her friends the right push toward each other. He was usually so clueless, never noticing when a girl was hitting on him, and yet he had seen something Videl herself had missed, even as sharp as she normally was. There was more to Gohan than met the eye, that was for sure.

Her heart sank as she remembered his puppy eyes when he confessed his feelings to her. He had known that it was hopeless, yet he just couldn't stop himself from telling her how he felt.

To think he actually liked her… Videl had been so sure her feelings were one-sided. It had made things easier, because if Gohan didn't like her that way, then there was no point in wishing for things to be different.

But now she knew, no thanks to Sharpner, and she couldn't help the regret in her heart when she thought of Gohan.

He was such a great guy, and he actually liked her. He liked her for her, not because of who her father was. He was the only guy who would never bat an eye at the fact that she was Mr. Satan's daughter, for that matter.

Why did things have to be this way? Videl almost wished she never had those visions, warning her of what she could become if she let herself be in a relationship with Gohan. If she hadn't known what the future held for her, they would have at least been happy together, instead of feeling miserable because they were forced to be apart.

Erasa had let her go. Videl bit her lip.

"So…" She took a deep breath. "How is… Gohan?"

"He's been better," Sharpner replied, a frown of concern taking up his features.

"Did something happen between you two?" Erasa piled on, taking the opportunity to ask her friend about what she'd been dying to know.

"Yeah…" Videl admitted. "And it didn't go well."

"Yeah, we figured," Sharpner said.

"Gohan kinda…" Videl sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping while her cheeks burned up. "He told me he liked me. And I shot him down."

Sharpner hit his face with his palm, while Erasa shook her head in dismay.

"God, you're so stupid, Videl," Sharpner berated her.

"Hey! I have my reasons, okay!" she fired back, her fists clenching on her lap.

"Which are…?" he pressed on. Videl scowled, crossing her arms.

"I'm still not telling you. I'd rather never talk about it again."

"You're still an idiot," Sharpner muttered sourly.

"Hush now," Erasa told her boyfriend. "Don't go starting another fight when you two just made up."

"It's not my fault she's an idiot."

"I am _not_! I just don't want to end up━"

Videl stopped herself before she blurted out her secret. Erasa and Sharpner frowned in confusion.

"What is it?" Erasa pried. "You can tell us, Videl. You know we'd never tell another soul. You can trust us."

"I know that," Videl gritted out. Her face was heating up. "It's just… I'm so ashamed and embarrassed. I don't even want to think about it, let alone tell anyone about… about what I could become."

"We'd never judge you," Erasa said. "Whatever it is, you can tell us, Videl. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know…" Videl sighed deeply in resignation. "Okay, fine, I'll tell you.."

Still frowning, their attention solely on their friend, Erasa and Sharpner nodded at her, encouraging her to confide in them.

Videl pinched her lips together. She closed her eyes, pretending she was alone as she was about to share her secret for the first time.

"If I ever get together with Gohan… You know those women who lose themselves in a relationship?" She swallowed thickly. "That's what I become."

"That makes no sense," Erasa disagreed. "Why would you think that?"

"Is that what you saw in your dreams before you met Gohan?" Sharpner inquired, knowing more about the situation than his girlfriend.

Erasa's head whipped at him, her eyes wide. "Wait, what?"

"Videl had dreams about Gohan before they met," Sharpner explained. "And they stopped after she met him. Are they still gone?" he asked Videl, who nodded in response.

"Yeah. Haven't had any since I met Gohan. Which might mean I managed to erase that future from existence… unless it means that whatever psychic powers I stumbled on are gone, so I can't let my guard down in case that future is still a possibility."

"Is it really that bad?" Erasa asked, tilting her head, her forefinger touching her chin.

Videl nodded gravely. "It is. I…" She blushed in shame. "I lose my fire, I become mellow, I have no personality. The only thing that defines me is my love for Gohan."

Her friends winced. "Ouch," Sharpner said in sympathy.

"Does that mean… Like, you and Gohan, how far into the future did you see?" Erasa inquired in curiosity.

Videl looked away, her blush worsening, although for a different reason this time. "…Pretty far." She bit her lip. Well, she told them the worst of it, there was no point in hiding the rest. "We get married, have kids, and we're happy… But I just can't accept the price for that happiness."

"I find this hard to believe," Sharpner remarked, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "Gohan likes you the way you are. He wouldn't want you to change or to turn into the woman you're described."

"He didn't seem to mind in my dreams…" Videl muttered, her cheeks burning up at the reminder of Gohan's feelings for her.

"Are you sure they're all reliable? Maybe your dreams didn't get everything right," Sharpner offered.

Videl shook her head. "I can't take any chance. The stakes are too high."

"But why can't you be friends with him?" Sharpner asked, trying to keep his end of his deal with Gohan despite his initial failure. "I mean, if in your dreams you lose yourself in the relationship, then don't be in a relationship with him. That shouldn't stop you from being his friend."

Videl bit her lip, her eyes averted as she considered her friend's suggestion.

"He's right, Vi," Erasa said. "You can still be friends with Gohan. You owe him that much ━ the poor guy is heartbroken."

Videl winced at that. It wasn't like she didn't know how much she had hurt Gohan, but the reminder still felt like arrows being shot through her heart.

"I don't know… I… I actually like him. A lot," she admitted, her face feeling hotter than ever. "And if I spend more time with him, my feelings for him are bound to keep growing… And so would his for me. It wouldn't be fair to either of us."

"Gohan really wants to be your friend," Sharpner insisted. "He said that even though he likes you, he doesn't care if you guys are just friends."

She bit her lip again. "He said that?"

"Give him a chance, Videl," Erasa piled on. "At least as a friend. I get that you don't want to end up like in your visions, but that only happens if you get together with him, so you can still be his friend."

"I… guess…" she forced out reluctantly. Damn it, their logic was implacable. Nothing was actually stopping her from being friends with Gohan, as long as things never went further than that.

Damn it. Damn those two. Pulling at her heartstrings like that when all she wished was to agree with them.

"I'll think about it," was her final answer.

They were right. Videl had to admit defeat. She had nothing to worry about if she and Gohan stayed just friends. As long as they never got together.

Even as much as she wished she could just say the hell with it and throw her arms around his neck and kiss him and just be with him, like they had been fated to be.

Videl swallowed at the turn of her thoughts. Damn it. Why did she like Gohan so much?

* * *

Paige scowled at the image in her crystal ball, watching the scene unfold in an empty classroom that she'd locked herself in.

So now Videl was considering being friends with Gohan? What the hell? Things had been going perfectly for the past few days, and now not only had Videl made up with her friends, but she was thinking about officially adding Gohan in their group?

She breathed out slowly. It was fine. Even if they did become friends, Videl would never let things go further, and, like she said, her feelings for him would only grow yet she would have no choice but to never act on them, forever denying herself her big love story.

She smirked. Yes, it might be even better this way. The more Videl suffered, the happier Paige would be.

And she had been making progress with Gohan, too. Her smirk widened. Paige pictured how much it would hurt Videl to see the boy she loved with another girl. And if they became friends, he might even talk to her about his girlfriend! Oh, how delightful.

Yes, indeed. Things were turning out even better, in the end. Videl's agony was her priority ━ becoming Gohan's girlfriend was merely the cherry on top.


	13. Her Deepest Desires

That afternoon, on her way home, Videl got a call from the police about a current crime, so she swerved and piloted her jet copter in the opposite direction. It was a runaway car fleeing the police on route 81 to the mountains. It reminded Videl of the first appearance of the Great Saiyaman, and she couldn't help smiling at the recollection, how easily she had tricked Gohan, and how he hadn't even noticed, happily flying off to go back to class.

She was still torn about what to do, but Videl had to admit that her friends were right. There was no harm in becoming friends with Gohan as long as things never evolved between them. And she did owe him. She was already taking away his chance at true love, and she had even broken his heart. The least she could do was make it up to him in some kind of way. Gohan deserved at least that.

The Great Saiyaman was already on the scene; Gohan had probably seen it from the sky on his way home, Videl figured. The situation was already under control. The criminals didn't even get to leave the city; the superhero was handing the unconscious bad guys to the police. Videl landed her jet copter nonetheless and climbed out.

"Well, I better get going," Saiyaman said quickly when he saw her coming.

Videl's heart sank. That bad, huh?

"What, no lame poses? No corny speech?" she said in a teasing tone, smirking at him with her arms crossed.

Gohan paused and looked at her, but it was hard to tell what kind of expression he was making because of the ridiculous orange helmet taking up most of his face.

She walked closer to him and said in a lower voice, only for him to hear. "Can we talk?"

He didn't say anything for a time, observing her while she could only speculate what he was thinking about.

"Okay. Follow me."

With that, he took off to the sky, and Videl followed him with her eyes, raising her head and turning around to see where he was going. He seemed to land on the roof of a building nearby, so Videl ran back in her jet copter and started the engine, piloting the aircraft to where she had seen Gohan disappear.

Her heart was beating furiously. She couldn't help feeling excited at the prospect of becoming friends with Gohan ━ of hanging out with him on a regular basis. Videl was scared of his reaction, too, since she did break his heart, but she decided to be positive and hope for the best. Gohan wasn't the resentful type, that much she knew. Surely it was going to be okay, right?

Gohan was in his normal clothes when she saw him standing on the rooftop, waiting for her. She landed her jet copter and got off, joining him outside.

"Hey," she greeted him with an awkward smile.

He frowned slightly, digging his hands in his pockets. "Hey…"

His obvious confusion was understandable. She did make him reiterate his promise to stay away from her, so his reaction was to be expected.

"I made up with Sharpner. Apparently he and Erasa have you to thank for getting together?" she said with a sideways smile.

Gohan scratched the back of his head. "I guess… I'm glad you guys aren't fighting anymore. I felt bad, because it was kinda my fault."

"Not really. It was really my fault," Videl disagreed. "But we made up and that's what matters."

"I guess that's true."

"Look, Gohan…" She lowered her head, joining her hand together behind her back. "I'm sorry about… everything, really. The truth is… what happens in my visions, it only happens if we get together…"

Gohan gulped. So he was right. Videl did foresee them as a couple, not just as friends. That meant they had been supposed to fall in love and get into a romantic relationship. That meant Videl probably knew all along that he liked her, or that he potentially would, at the very least.

"And they made a really good point…" she went on, her voice slow and hesitant.

She still wouldn't look at him, her head lowered, but he could still see her face take up a lovely pink color. He couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. She was so cute.

"They said that since in my visions, I change because we're together, that nothing is stopping us from being friends… as long as we stay just friends."

His eyebrows shot up on his forehead and he blinked. Now, _that_ , he wasn't expecting. His heart jolted in hopefulness.

"Are you saying…?"

She finally looked up at him and a sheepish smile formed on her lovely lips. "I mean, if you still want to…"

"I do," he replied right off the beat, a grin digging into his cheeks. "I want to be your friend, Videl."

"Even after the way I treated you…?" she asked in uncertainty, guilt in her eyes.

"You have your reasons. And it was my fault for pushing it when you made it clear as to why I had to stay away from you." He took a step toward her. "But if it only happens if we're a couple… if we can still be friends, I'll take it. I'll take whatever I can."

"Are you sure?" She bit her lip in that adorable way. His heart fluttered pleasantly. "I mean… we'll never be more than friends. Are you sure you're okay with that? Given… how you feel about me?"

She had a point, but it was still better than nothing. He took another step toward her, and then another. He was now standing so close to her that Videl had to crane her neck to look at him. It was so cute, how tiny she was compared to him.

"Yes, I'm okay with it," Gohan confirmed. "I get it, and I won't try anything with you, I promise."

She was smiling at him, and Gohan sighed softly, dreamily, feeling himself swoon. Gosh, she was so pretty…

"Alright then." She took a step back to hold out her hand to him. "Friends?"

He took it eagerly. And felt a spark. His breath hitched, but Gohan pretended like nothing happened. He knew Videl had felt it too, but she was following his example and acting like it didn't happen.

They let go. Gohan's heart was doing somersaults. He was so happy. Videl had finally agreed to be his friend. And, yes, he would always long for more, but it was still better than nothing. At least, now, Videl could be in his life.

"Let's do something together," he suggested. "To celebrate our newfound friendship."

"Sure, why not," Videl agreed, letting out an amused chuckle. "How about we go have a snack?"

He grinned. "You read my mind."

Gohan was so happy that he completely forgot about his plans to go train with Piccolo after school. Well, at least those weren't official plans, so he wasn't standing his mentor up.

* * *

Paige scowled. She had checked on Videl in her crystal ball as soon as she got home and locked herself in her room, and to her dismay, she and Gohan were hanging out and laughing together in a coffee house.

Did Gohan even have plans after school or had he just been trying to blow her off? Well, it didn't matter, because sooner or later their feelings would get so deep that the mere thought that they could never be together would be pure torture. While she didn't actually want Gohan to suffer, it was a necessary evil because Videl's agony was her top priority.

Besides, she would be happy to be there for him when he was going to need a shoulder to lean on because of his heartbreak. Paige smirked at the thought.

* * *

They were playing basketball in PE. Videl had the ball and was skillfully bouncing it on the floor, the thud echoing off the gym's walls. She casually weaved through the opposition, aiming to get to the other side of the court.

She smirked as Gohan came up in front of her, accepting the challenge to get past the much taller teen.

"No cheating," she said to him in a low voice, implying that he couldn't use his special skills during the game.

"I know," he said, a playful grin on his face. "I've lowered my strength to below your level ━ but you still won't get past me."

She chuckled. "Cheeky, aren't we?"

The ball still bouncing in her hand, Videl gracefully whirled on her feet to maneuver around Gohan and get past him, her back to him to keep the ball out of his reach, before she proceeded to speed away toward the basket.

But Gohan was quick to react and he spun on his feet while reaching out with his arm, blocking her path and forcing her to halt in her tracks. He shot her a smirk and before she could do anything to stop him, he swiftly yanked the ball from her and rushed off to the other side of the basketball field.

Videl cursed under her breath and ran after him, but he was too fast, and gracefully evaded her teammates who tried to get in his way. Gohan easily went past them; he bumped into one of them and Videl raised her eyebrows as it seemed as though their classmate didn't even feel it.

Gohan then passed the ball to Sharpner, even though he could've made the shot himself. His team captain caught the orange ball and scored a three-pointer. The boys grinned at each other and high-fived in mutual congratulations.

The game continued, and Gohan beat her at every turn, his natural talent for athletics giving him an edge even without using his special abilities. Not only that, but he now seemed to have complete control of his strength. Not once did any of the kids playing against him wince when they made contact with him.

Sharpner's team easily won, and two other teams were formed to face off on the basketball court, since only ten students at a time could be in a game.

Videl sat next to Gohan on the bleachers and handed him a water bottle. He gave her a warm smile that made her heart flutter in a pleasant way.

"Thanks. No hard feelings?"

Damn it, he was just too cute.

Videl rolled her eyes at him playfully. "Nah. Nobody stands a chance against you, I've made my peace with that."

He chuckled. He opened his bottle and took a sip. He hadn't even broken a sweat during the basketball match, unlike the rest of them who were understandably drenched in sweat after twenty-five minutes of running up and down the court. Videl, herself, took long gulps of water from her own bottle, feeling parched after the tiring workout.

She set the half-empty bottle next to her and turned to her friend once again. He had that cute half-smile on his face, unknowingly making the girl swoon. Her cheeks heated up as she smiled back at him.

"You've gotten a lot better at controlling your strength," she noted, causing Gohan to flash her a proud grin.

"You noticed? It's thanks to you, you know. To tell you the truth, I've been slacking off on training since…" He shot a glance around them then leaned closer to her, his low voice brushing her ear. Videl felt a pleasant shiver run along her spine as his breath tickled her skin. "Since Cell."

She swallowed thickly, her cheeks burning up even when Gohan pulled back.

"But after our talk last week, I reached out to my mentor and I've been training with him every day since," Gohan finished.

Videl's eyes went sideways in thought. His mentor… "Do you mean Piccolo?"

Gohan raised his eyebrows. And then a gentle smile curved his lips. "Yeah. You've seen him, then?"

"Of course. He's always around, and he even helps out with our…" Videl trailed off, her eyes widening at what she almost blurted out.

"Our…?" Gohan repeated, his head tilted to the side, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

 _Our kids_ , Videl replied for herself, because there was no way she was ever telling Gohan about that detail of the life they had been supposed to have together. He only knew that they should have been in a relationship. Gohan had no idea how far in the future she had foreseen, or that they had been supposed to get married at some point and start a family together.

"Can't you tell me?" he asked, puckering his lips in an adorable pout. "Since it's not going to happen anyway, what's the harm in telling me?"

Videl shook her head. "Believe me, it's better if you don't know. It'll just make you feel worse."

"But I'm curious. I want to know. I'll deal with the consequences if I have to, but don't I have a right to know, at the very least?"

He was making a very good case… Damn it. Didn't he realize just how embarrassing the mere thought of having kids with him was? Thankfully, her dreams had never been past the PG rating, but Videl did know where babies came from, and she did _not_ want to think about how she and Gohan ended up with three children in her visions.

"It's just… so embarrassing," she uttered, avoiding his gaze. Her hand rose and covered the lower part of her face to try and hide her bright blush.

Gohan sighed. "I can imagine… But, still, I would really like to know. Please?"

Videl made the mistake of looking back at him. And her face burned up even more. His coal eyes were drawing her in, and the girl felt herself drown in the pool of his pleading gaze. Her lips parting, short breaths slipped through, in and out, her chest heaving. Her hands were clammy, and Videl wiped them on her sweatpants in a nervous motion.

"Please, Videl?" he asked her once more.

She felt her resolves crumble down. Damn him. Why did he have so much effect on her? Why couldn't she resist his charms? Why did he have to be so damn adorable and handsome?

"Fine…" she grumbled, tearing her gaze away from his enchanting eyes, crossing her arms and puckering her lips in a pout. "In the future I saw… We got married and started a family. And Piccolo would often babysit for us."

Torn between blushing at the notion of becoming Videl's husband and the father of her children, and the mental image of Piccolo taking care of their kids, Gohan ended up grinning through the redness of his cheeks.

"He does? Really?"

"Yeah, and he's kind of a worrywart, too. It's adorable, really, especially given how big and intimidating he looks." Videl smiled despite herself at the recollection. "And the kids love him, too. He also takes part in training them."

"How many kids do we have?" Gohan couldn't help asking.

She bit her lip. "Three… A girl first, and then we have two more when she's ten."

Gohan felt short of breath. He swallowed thickly. "What's their names?"

Videl glanced at him hesitantly. "Pan is the firstborn, then it's a boy, Mark, and two years later we have another girl, Mika."

He raised his gaze to the arched ceiling of the gym, dreaming of the kids he would never have. "What do they look like?"

Videl sighed, resigning herself to answer all of Gohan's questions. He did deserve to know, at the very least, since she had taken away that future from him. A future he might be longing for even though he knew she would never let it come true.

"Pan is pretty much my spitting image, but she has your eyes."

Gohan looked back at her at that, and his expression softened. "She must have been beautiful."

Videl averted her eyes, her face burning more than ever at the indirect compliment. She focused on her answer, hoping Gohan wasn't going to make her any more flustered.

“Mark takes after you, mostly, but he has curly hair, blue eyes, and tan skin, like my dad. Mika looks like your mom, she has blue eyes too, and fair skin like me. Her hair is brown like my mom’s was.”

Gohan looked down, leaning on his hands, his head digging between his shoulders as a deep, heavy sigh slipped through his lips. "I would've liked to meet them…"

"I'm sure you'll have a family of your own at some point. You're going to be a great dad someday."

His face scrunched up, and Videl felt her heart sink. She could almost hear him think, _But not with you._

"Was I a bad husband?"

Videl flushed at the question. She sighed in aggravation. Why was he asking her all these embarrassing questions? Didn't he see how awkward it was making her feel?

"No, not at all."

"Then what went wrong?"

"I told you. Our relationship changes me."

He looked at her. "Is it really that bad?"

"Yes…"

Gohan heaved a deep sigh. "I guess it can't be helped." He offered her a wistful smile. "Thanks for answering all my questions. I know it wasn't easy for you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "And you were right… It does make me feel worse. But I'm glad I asked, too, because even if they'll never exist, at least they can live in my imagination now."

Her heart clenched painfully at his words. Videl couldn't help but recall just how much she would have loved their children, and it made her want to cry that she was preventing them from ever getting born.

"Yeah…"

Gohan cracked a playful smile then, amusement dancing in his coal eyes. "So Piccolo's pretty much our nanny, huh?"

Videl burst out laughing. "Yep. He pretends like it annoys him, but we all know he loves it. And he loves the kids."

"Well, he's like a second dad to me, so that's not surprising. He was always good to me when I was a kid ━ well, excluding the times he was training me, because he's a ruthless teacher. But anyway, he's great with Goten and Trunks too. The boys love him."

"I would love to meet Trunks someday," Videl said. "From what I've seen of him, he's a really cool kid."

"Yeah, he sure is," Gohan agreed with a broad grin. "He always gets in trouble though, and he drags Goten down with him. My mom often complains that he's a bad influence on my brother." He laughed slightly at that.

Videl giggled. "I'm not surprised."

"I haven't told you about the Trunks that came from the future to help us fight the androids and eventually Cell, have I? Our Trunks didn't turn out quite the same as him, either."

She blinked at the boy. "Wait, you're telling me that time travel is actually possible?"

Gohan grinned. He checked the time on his watch. "We still have about fifteen minutes before the end of PE, so I think we got the time to get into it. It's a great story, so listen closely."

Videl grinned back at him. "I'm all ears."

* * *

They were in her bedroom, sitting on her bed while numerous books lay open all over the bedding. Gohan was helping her with her schoolwork ━ one of the perks of being friends with a genius.

Videl felt the familiar warm tickle on her cheeks when he leaned closer to explain to her the current exercise. But his lecture fell on deaf ears ━ Videl closed her eyes as his scent reached her nostrils. They were sitting so close, their arms were touching. His presence was intoxicating.

"See? It's easy," Gohan concluded, looking up at her as he finished his explanation.

Their eyes met. For what felt like an eternity, time seemed to stand still. Videl swallowed thickly. She couldn't help glancing at his lips, so inviting, so tempting… Gohan's eyes darkened, glazing over… as though he knew what she was thinking about. Or maybe he simply desired the same thing.

He was leaning toward her. Her first instinct was to back away, and she ended up lying on her back, while Gohan was towering over her, his chest heaving, his face so close his breathing was tickling her skin… her lips.

"Go… Gohan?"

His hand moved on her hip, while the other cupped her cheek. Videl felt her whole being burn at the simple contact.

What was happening? What was going on? What was he doing? Why was he leaning in with his eyes closed?

Oh, no, she couldn't stop it. Her eyes slipped shut in turn, without her consent. And then his mouth crashed onto hers, swallowing her moan while his tongue tried to gain access. Her lips parted in a breathless moan. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. He pushed his pelvis into her, making her feel how much he wanted her. Videl's common sense was thrown out of the window, and she only listened to her primal urges as she encircled his waist with her legs, pulling him even closer, feeling his whole body pressed up against hers in the most delectable way.

"I'm so crazy about you, Videl," he breathed between two kisses.

He moved his lips down her chin, along her throat, and then into the crook of her neck. Videl craned her head to give him better access, biting down a moan as her lust for him became unbearable.

"Mmm… Videl… You smell so good…"

Gosh, she wanted him so much. Her head was spinning. This felt too good to be true.

His hand slipped under her shirt, slowly trailing up her stomach before cupping her breast. She gasped at the sensation of his warm hand on her bare skin. Why wasn't she wearing a bra? When did he take it off? Or had she been wearing one at all? She couldn't remember ━ Videl couldn't think of anything while Gohan had his hands on her body.

He raised his head to kiss her lips once more, pinching her nipple while pushing his tongue inside her mouth. Videl whimpered. Gohan responded by grinding his growing erection into her crotch. And he kept rubbing himself against her, thrusting his pelvis to create an intoxicating friction.

Videl couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. It felt too good. She was going absolutely _insane_.

"Go…han…" she panted against his lips. He slipped his other hand under her shirt and cupped her other breast, his fingers digging into the plush mounds, kneading them, teasing her nipples. She moaned into his mouth.

The pleasure was building up. More and more. She could feel something coming. She was so close. Videl tightened her legs around him and rocked her body against Gohan, yearning for more of that delicious friction. He responded by thrusting his hips harder while pinching her nipples, and then it happened━ and her cry of ecstasy was muffled against his incredible lips. Her whole body trembled in pleasure.

A moment later, Gohan stilled himself and groaned into her mouth, grabbing on her breasts roughly as he convulsed on top of her.

"Oh, Videl!"

He panted against her cheek, collapsing on top of her. His weight felt so amazing. Her head was spinning. Videl tightened her arms around his shoulders. He started kissing her neck, and one of his hands slid down her stomach, trailing on her skin until they reached the hem of her shorts.

Gohan didn't pause and slid his hand under the garment, cupping her crotch. She moaned his name, her breathing deepening once more ━ and then he slipped two fingers inside of her while his thumb rubbed her clitoris.

"Does it feel good, Videl?" he murmured hoarsely in her ear, his hot breath sending shivers through her whole body. His fingers picked up the pace, his hand thrusting faster and harder under her panties.

"Oh, god, yes!" she panted in reply, her arms around his back, clutching the fabric of his shirt. "Don't stop!"

He lifted her top and lowered his head, wrapping his hot, wet mouth around her erect nipple. She felt his tongue flick the sensitive bud. She felt his fingers working inside her slippery walls. She felt his other hand kneading her breast. Now he was sucking on her nipple.

Goodness, Gohan was driving her _insane_. The pleasure was too much. It was all too much. At this rate… Oh, god, she was going to come again…

Videl screamed his name in ecstasy.

And then her eyes snapped open. She was met by the darkness of the ceiling. She was indeed in her bedroom, but it was night, and she was alone. She was panting, her skin covered in sweat.

Her face flushed harder ━ her vivid dream had left her all hot and bothered.

What the hell…?

She didn't know what to think. She was mortified either way. What the hell was that dream about? It had felt so real… And it was the first time she ever had such a dream. Was it another vision? A warning that this was what would happen if she stayed friends with Gohan?

Or was it simply her subconscious showing her what she truly desired? Videl couldn't be sure, but she was leaning more toward the second option. Somehow, this dream didn't feel like the others. Besides, they had never depicted such a near future, it was always at least five years into the future, when she and Gohan were already married.

No, this was just her own desires playing themselves out in her sleep. Videl let out an aggravated sigh as her hand raised to her eyes. How was she supposed to even look at Gohan after fantasizing about him in such a way…? She couldn't believe how far her imagination had gone.

Things had been going so well, too. It had been two weeks since she and Gohan officially became friends, and they often hung out after school and over the weekend. Gohan would patrol the city for crime and they would eventually cross paths. It didn't even involve fighting crime most of the time. They just happened to stumble on each other, much like on the weekend following Gohan's first week of school. It really felt like fate was trying to bring them together, intent on getting in her way whether she agreed or not.

But they were friends now, so it didn't matter. And, during the weekend, Gohan would usually bring his little brother along, allowing the Great Saiyaboy to make an appearance. The brothers were always fun to hang out with, and Goten was just so adorable and huggable. Videl smirked at one particular recollection; she had hugged Goten, unable to hold back anymore, and Goten had laughed gleefully as he hugged her back.

But one glance at Gohan's envious pout made Videl look away and bite her lip, holding back a fit of laughter. He was just so cute, watching them hug, no doubt wishing he could be in his little brother's place.

She almost went to hug him too to comfort him, but Videl had known better. Any physical contact with Gohan always provoked a spark, even the simplest touch, so a hug was definitely out of the question. Videl didn't trust herself to attempt such a risky move. She might end up kissing him or something, and that could _never_ happen.

Her throat tightened as flashes of her dream rushed back to her. Videl licked her lips despite herself, longing for it to come true. But it couldn't ever happen. Gohan could never be more than a friend. That was the deal.

She had been right, though. Her feelings for him just kept growing the more they spent time together, and after only two weeks, Videl admitted to herself that her feelings ran much deeper than she should have allowed.

She was in love with Gohan. But she could never be with him.

Her heart ached at the torturous thought.

It was no wonder that she was dreaming about making out with Gohan and letting him do whatever he wanted to her body. It was all she truly desired. She wished for a way to make her dream come true without the consequences that would inevitably follow. She longed for his touch, for his arms, for his warmth, for his skin… She was completely crazy about him. Head over heels.

Videl turned to the side and hugged herself. Well, there was nothing she could do about it anyway. It was fated to happen, and fate wasn't one to back down without a fight. And she was beaten. While she was still avoiding her worst fears from coming true, she hadn't been able to stop herself from falling hopelessly in love with Son Gohan.

And how could she? He was the perfect guy. Handsome, smart, kind, pure-hearted, funny, fun to hang out with, and he came with an adorable little brother too. Really, she never stood a chance.

Videl sighed to herself. Oh, well. There was nothing she could do about it now. It was only just her heart. It would heal in time. She only had to hold out until the end of high school.

Her throat tightened. Three whole years. Could she handle it? Videl frowned with determination. She would have to. It was too late to back down now. She would just have to bottle down her true feelings and deepest desires. She'd been doing it for three weeks already. What were another three years?

* * *

She was sitting on a bench, taking a break from a run in the city, when a familiar voice called her name.

Videl wasn't even surprised. Gohan and Goten were waving at her as they came up to her. Once again, they were meeting by chance. Fate was such a stubborn bitch.

She looked away, however, still flustered about her dream from last night. Goten didn't notice her embarrassment, rushing to her and throwing his little arms around her neck to give her a hug. Videl smiled fondly at the adorable boy and hugged him back. A part of her regretted that he wasn't going to become her little brother. But that would mean marrying Gohan, which was simply not an option.

"Hey, Goten," she said softly, her heart glowing as the child pulled away and beamed at her, staying on her lap. He was just so cute.

"We keep running on each other every weekend!" he pointed out happily. "I'm so glad I get to see you again!"

She ruffled his wild, spiky hair. "Yeah, I'm glad I get to see your cute little face again, too."

Goten blushed and grinned, and hugged her again. Videl couldn't help herself and glanced at Gohan, who was standing aside with his arms crossed, his lips puckered in the cutest pout. Videl grinned at him.

He was so jealous. It was hilarious.

He finally settled with sitting next to her on the bench, a little too close for comfort. Their arms were almost touching, and Videl could feel his body heat radiate onto her bare skin.

"Have you been running again?" he asked, to get the conversation going. His eyes strayed on her attire. She was wearing a white tank top over her sports bra and loose, tiny shorts, showing off her legs. Thankfully, Goten sitting on her lap prevented the older boy from staring at her bare thighs.

"Yeah," she replied.

His gaze did stop on her cleavage for longer than he should have, but Gohan flushed and eventually looked away.

He cleared his throat into his fist. Videl couldn't help smirking at that. She wondered how deep Gohan's feelings ran, if he had fallen in love with her too, as fated.

A part of her wished to spare him the heartache, but a bigger part was glad that her feelings were mutual, even if it meant they had to suffer together because they had to be apart.

Gohan opened his arms to his brother with a kind smile, obviously feeling left out, and Goten was happy to switch places, hugging his big brother.

"Hey, no fair, you get him all week," Videl complained. "What about me?"

"But Gohan's at school with you all week! I don't see him as much as I would want to," Goten said, his arms tightening possessively around Gohan's neck.

"Fine, fine. But I get a turn too later, don't I?"

"Of course! You give great hugs, too!" Goten said happily. Gohan frowned at that, and Videl had to bite her lip to stop herself from bursting out in laughter. He was so obviously wishing he could be on the receiving end of her hugs, too. It was so friggin' cute.

"What is it, Gohan?" she couldn't help teasing him. "Do you want me to hug you too?"

He frowned. "Don't tease me, Videl."

Her grin widened. "Sorry, sorry. It was too tempting."

"But yeah, I do," he muttered, looking away, but not before she saw his face flush completely. "I do want one of your hugs."

"Oh, you should hug Gohan, Videl!" Goten said in agreement, innocently thinking he was helping. He even jumped from Gohan's arms and stood in front of them. "There, now you got the room."

"It's okay, Goten," Gohan said, smiling half-heartedly at his little brother, waving his hand in negation. "Don't worry about it. Videl is just teasing me."

Goten tilted his head, holding his chin in thought. "But why can't you hug her? It feels really nice, too! Videl is all soft and warm, I really like hugging her!"

Gohan swallowed loudly, while the girl looked to the other side, her hand rising to her face to hide her blush. Why did Goten have to go and say that? It was just making things more awkward between her and Gohan.

And then her eyes widened when Gohan replied, "I guess there wouldn't be any harm in one hug, right?"

She felt him moving closer to her. Now their arms were actually touching. Her heart was hammering hard against her ribcage. It was about to explode. He wasn't serious, was he? He didn't actually intend to hug her, did he? Didn't he realize how risky such a move would be? Surely Gohan was going to scooch away on the bench, realizing what a dumb idea that was, right?

But then he murmured to her, "Friends gave each other hugs all the time, don't they?"

Well, he wasn't wrong, but Gohan had to know that this particular fact didn't apply to them.

Apparently, he didn't, because the next thing she knew, he put a hand on her shoulder and made her turn to face him. Videl gulped as they locked gazes then. His face was completely red, but he looked dead serious. The shade of black of his eyes seemed darker than usual, somehow, cloaked with such intensity that Videl was unable to protest when Gohan wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her all against his strong body, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"It's just a hug," he said, his voice unsteady as he uttered words he most definitely didn't believe himself.

Videl knew she should pull away immediately. And yet… She couldn't help it. She melted. Her arms moved around him as she snuggled up to him, breathing in his intoxicating scent.

"See? I told you!" Goten said, sounding satisfied that they listened to him. "Videl gives great hugs, huh?"

"The best," Gohan agreed, his voice low and hoarse, his arms tightening around her. His head lowered, and he ended up nuzzling her tied hair in the crook of her neck. He breathed in deeply, and Videl felt a shiver run along her spine, her whole body trembling. Goodness, she felt like she was about to faint. It felt so damn _good_.

"Gohan gives nice hugs too, huh, Videl?" Goten proceeded to ask her then.

But she was too far gone to respond with more than a "Hmm…" of agreement. Gohan felt so strong and warm. She had completely melted into him. His hands on her body were lighting it on fire.

Her dream came back to her. Videl bit her lip. She needed to pull away. She had to end this. She couldn't let it go on. It was just too risky.

But it felt so damn amazing…

Yes, exactly. That was why she had to pull away, her reason tried to remind her, but Videl shushed it impatiently, enjoying the embrace too much.

It was just a hug. Friends hugged each other. It was just a friendly hug. Nothing romantic about that.

Gohan eventually started to pull away. It took all of her self-control not to hang onto him to stop him, but Videl forced herself back to reality.

They pulled apart and Gohan moved away from her on the bench, making enough room for another person to sit between them. Goten took the hint and jumped on the free spot. Videl was stubbornly staring at some random spot on the ground, barely hearing what Goten was saying.

"See, hugs are really nice, huh?"

"Yeah…" Gohan agreed, his voice still low and hoarse. He cleared his throat.

Goten grinned. He started chattering away with his brother, who listened to him with a gentle smile on his lips, nodding his head every now and then.

"Are you okay, Videl? You haven't said anything in a while," Goten said after some time.

"I'm okay, yeah," she replied, finally turning to the little boy, who beamed at her in response. She saw Gohan in her peripheral vision and before she could stop herself, Videl locked eyes with him.

And all air left her lungs.

Videl swallowed thickly. The look in his eyes said so much. His love for her was so evident, so transparent. He smiled at her, wistful, longing for something they could never have.

There was no doubt about it. Gohan felt the same way. He had fallen in love with her, too. Fate had beaten them both.

His hand moved, going behind Goten, and touched hers. Videl's breath hitched, and she looked away, her face growing even hotter.

But Gohan held her hand and didn't let go, making sparks go off at the simple touch. Videl bit her lip, trying to calm her racing heart.

And then she pulled her hand away, breaking the contact. Sending a message.

Gohan's face fell at the rejection, but he didn't say anything. He soon turned his attention on his brother and acted like normal. Like he didn't just silently ask her if they could be together after all only to be shot down.

* * *

Paige was seething, watching the exchange in her trusted crystal ball. The fact that Gohan and Videl suffered from their unfulfilled mutual love did little to comfort her about what she just witnessed.

What the hell? What was that long, romantic embrace about? And then Gohan had tried holding Videl's hand, obviously yearning to be with her even though they could only be friends and he knew that.

But Videl had pulled away, because of course she would. But Paige was still livid. What did Gohan even _see_ in that girl? Why couldn't _she_ steal his attention away from Videl?

She had pretty much given up on seducing him. Gohan's feelings were so painfully obvious ━ he was head over heels in love with Videl, and no other girl ever managed to catch his attention.

It wasn't fair. Why did Videl get the love of someone as amazing and perfect as Gohan? Why wouldn't he even look her way? She had been nothing but nice to him, yet he kept following Videl around like a lost puppy, always perking up when she entered the room.

It was so annoying. Paige cursed the other girl, wishing she could be in even more pain. Maybe she could use her psychic powers to help some crook so he could beat her up or something. It would at least bring her some satisfaction to see Videl get pummeled. Well, crime never slept in Satan City, so surely she wouldn't have to wait long.

And as soon as the thought left her head, Videl's watch went off in the crystal ball. As though her wish had been answered. Or maybe her psychic powers had influenced chance without even meaning to. Paige smirked as she looked on. Videl was just finishing speaking with the police captain and stood.

"Want me to bring you there?" Gohan offered.

"I think I better take my jet copter. You guys are welcome to come with me," she added, strangely enough. "I could drop you off on some roof so you could transform."

Paige frowned. Transform? What was Videl talking about?

"It would be less conspicuous than flying there yourself," she argued. "There's room in my jet copter, in any case."

Gohan shrugged. "Sure. I guess it's fast enough. It's another hostage situation so the robbers are on standby anyway."

"Oh! I'm so excited! I get to be Saiyaboy again!"

Both Gohan and Videl shushed the little boy, whose apology was muffled by his hands over his mouth.

Paige was processing what she just heard.

That little boy… was Saiyaboy? But that meant Gohan was…

And, soon enough, she had the confirmation. Paige could only watch in shock as Gohan and the boy named Goten both pressed a button on their watches, before a flash of light almost blinded her. The next moment, the Great Saiyaman and the Great Saiyaboy were standing where the brothers had been a second ago.

"No way…" she breathed in shock, her eyes wide.

Gohan was a superhero… Paige gulped. It was just her luck, messing with someone who could break her like a twig if he wanted to. Of course, Gohan would never harm her… right? He did use force to stop criminals, though… Well, Gohan had no reason to target her, right?

"I mean, I only prevented him from being happy with the love of his life. No biggie, right?"

Her voice quivered as she spoke the thought aloud. Paige swallowed thickly, feeling more and more nervous. She watched how easily Gohan stopped the criminals, and she forgot that she meant to give some luck to the bad guys so they could beat Videl up. Well, with how Gohan felt about Videl, it might be best not to mess with her too much, Paige reasoned wisely.

Was that why he had been able to fight her power of persuasion? Was the "super" side of him the reason why she had had so much trouble bending him to her will?

Yeah, she definitely should stop messing with Videl's life… Gohan was completely crazy about her, and if he somehow ever found out what she had done to the girl he loved… Paige couldn't imagine it ending well for her.

In fact, she better just stop snooping into their lives altogether, Paige decided, turning off the magical crystal orb.

Yeah. She had her revenge anyway. Videl would never get her happy life with Gohan… who would hopefully never find out she was behind his and Videl's emotional torture.

Paige cursed under her breath. It was just her luck.


	14. His Chemistry Mistake

Gohan let his eyes trail along Videl's graceful neck as she flicked a pigtail over her shoulder, letting out a frustrated sigh at the heat.

He thought of suggesting she cut her hair if it bothered her so much, but decided against it, lest he triggered her short temper. Besides, he loved her long hair. It was so shiny and beautiful, and the pigtails suited Videl so nicely.

They were in the lab at school, working on an assignment together. They had been paired up by the teacher, which didn't even surprise the demi-Saiyan. Fate seemed intent on pushing him and Videl together, whether she was okay with it or not. Well, it wasn't harming anyone anyway. It wasn't the first time he and Videl studied together, either. Now it was simply a school assignment for their Chemistry class.

He let his gaze linger on the exposed skin of her chest, swallowing thickly as he stared more than he should at her cleavage. She had really nice… curves.

He turned away, his face burning up. His attraction to this girl was just insane. His feelings for her kept growing, too. He found himself wishing they could be more than friends, and his heart broke at the thought that it could never be.

He was in love with Videl, simple as that. Gohan wondered if he would have figured it out had Sharpner never made him realize he had feelings for her in the first place.

His chest felt tight and painful. How he longed to hold her in his arms once more. The way she just… melted into him. Her warmth, her soft body, her intoxicating scent… Unable to help himself, he had nuzzled her hair, breathing her in, and gosh, that had felt so amazing.

How he wished he never had to let go. But Gohan hadn't wanted to push his luck, so he had forced himself to pull away.

He was so hopelessly in love. And it hurt so much.

"So, next we put… that thing in the tube," she instructed, reading from their worksheet.

"The Potassium, yeah," Gohan said, getting his head back to their chemistry experiment. "It should turn the water violet."

"Right."

He smiled as she slowly and carefully poured the content of one tube into the bigger one that they were working on. It turned a nice violet color, like predicted. Science was always so nice in its results being absolute. There were no maybes in science. It was either yes or no. The answer was never hesitant or unsure. Science may be wrong at times, like how the great minds of yesterday used to think that the Earth was flat, and most of the times it offered more "theories" than real "answers", but it was all so fascinating.

Videl was quite fascinating herself, Gohan couldn't help but reflect as his gaze followed her bare arm, up to her shoulder, before contouring her curves hidden in her loose tank top. The strap slid off her shoulder, and Gohan felt his throat tighten at the enchanting sight. He ached to reach over and put it back in place, grazing her bare skin with the tip of his fingers. But Videl soon did it herself, and Gohan shook his head, forcing himself to focus on their assignment.

"Next is Lithium," Videl said. "It should burn red."

Much like his face right now, the boy mused. Gohan tried to focus, but his lab partner was so delightfully distracting. He let his eyes linger on her shoulder where the strap of her tank top hung loosely, willing it to slide off once again.

He swallowed hard when it did. He was entranced. Completely under Videl's spell.

"Gohan? Are you listening to me?"

He snapped out of it, his eyelids fluttering as his sight cleared and focused on her beautiful blue eyes. He flashed her a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry, I spaced out. What is it?"

"The Lithium is on your side. You do it," she decided.

He chuckled at her bossy tone. "Okay."

Gosh, he was so in love. When did that even happen? Gohan couldn't tell. He couldn't even remember what it used to be like before he fell in love with Videl. She had become such a big part of his life, he just couldn't picture it without her anymore.

"No, Gohan, that's the Cesium, it's gonna━"

The content of the tube test blew up on his face.

"━explode…" she finished, biting her lip to refrain from laughing.

"Go ahead. Laugh. I deserve it. I should've paid more attention." He sighed in dejection, wiping his face with his hand.

Videl burst out laughing, and Gohan couldn't help the smile playing on his lips as he watched her. She was just so beautiful. He definitely didn't mind being a laughing stock if it meant he got to see her like that.

* * *

The ball rolled toward the sea. Gohan hurried and grabbed it before the waves took it away. He turned to the grinning little girl with an amused smile.

"You have a really strong throw, Marron. How old are you again?"

"I'm three!" she piped up, holding up three fingers to show him she knew how to count, too. "How old are _you_?"

"Seventeen, I guess?" Gohan answered with hesitation, scratching his hair. Marron giggled into her hands.

"You don't _know_?"

"I'm seventeen," he said again. "But people think I'm sixteen. It's complicated." He chuckled.

"Throw me the ball again!" the little girl told him, clearly having already moved on from the discussion about his age. He laughed quietly to himself and did as he was told. His training with Piccolo was showing, because Gohan was able to have complete control of his strength and throw the ball like a normal person. Marron followed the oncoming ball with her eyes, her arms raised, but she closed her hands too late and the ball fell through and onto the sand.

Well, she was only three. What did you expect?

Marron picked up the ball, not caring that she missed the catch, and threw it back at Gohan, who caught it easily even though her aim was off by a foot. He passed the ball at the little girl once again, and again, she failed to catch it, picked it up and threw it back at Gohan. They repeated the same thing several times. Marron didn't seem to get bored with their game, and Gohan was enjoying her company and the nice day out on the little island.

Krillin asked him to babysit. He and his wife 18 were on a date, and Roshi was off in the city as well doing god knew what, probably something perverted knowing the old man, while Turtle was out for a swim. Gohan was happy to do this favor for his friend. He could imagine that keeping the flame in a marriage couldn't always be easy when you had a little girl to care for.

"Gohan, I'm hot," Marron complained.

"Well, you have been running around a lot to get the ball. How about we go for a swim then?" he suggested. The little girl's face lit up at the idea. Gohan smiled warmly. "Let's get changed then. Last one inside loses!"

Marron's brown eyes widened and she hurried off inside the house. Gohan laughed as he let her win and congratulated her, admitting defeat.

They got changed into their swimsuits. Gohan had brought his green swimming trunks with him. He helped Marron put on an adorable pink one-piece with frills around the straps and on the bottom part. A unicorn galloping on a rainbow was represented on the front of the swimsuit. She was also wearing pink armbands with little smiley faces on them. She looked so cute.

"Wait, let me redo your pigtails," Gohan said, putting her on her bed and sitting down behind her. He grabbed the brush on her nightstand and untied the little red pompoms that pulled her fine blond hair up.

Marron didn't fuss and let him brush her hair, humming happily to herself as she played with a pink turtle plushie. Gohan smiled. She was so cute.

He wondered if his daughters would have been as easy and well-behaved as Marron. His heart sank at the thought. Gohan swallowed hard, his hands staying still for a few moments; he couldn't help conjuring the image of the kids Videl had described to him.

Pan, Mark and Mika. The children he was supposed to have with her. But they would never be born now. Apparently, what Videl had foreseen herself becoming because of their relationship was so terrible, she was willing to prevent their kids from ever being born.

It killed him, knowingly erasing his future kids from existence. It broke his heart. Sure, it didn't mean he would never be a father later on, but he would never be _their_ father as he had been supposed to be.

"Gohan? Are you okay?" Marron's adorable voice asked him in concern, raising her head to look at him. He smiled down at her, a sad, wistful smile, and resumed doing her hair.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He finished tying her blonde hair into pigtails. "And I'm done. Now let's go have a swim."

She jumped off the bed and started running. "Last one in the sea loses!" she called, even though she already took a headstart.

"Hey! You're cheating!" He laughed as he jogged after her, catching up to her but letting her win again. She ran straight into the sea and laughed in glee. Gohan followed her, letting the water cool him off. It was pretty hot today.

"I win!" Marron declared proudly. Gohan held her hand so she wouldn't get swept away by the waves.

"Yeah, you're too fast for me," he humored her. She beamed at him.

His heart broke, thinking of his kids once more. Now they could only exist in his imagination, and the young man couldn't help picturing what they would've looked like. Videl gave him a detailed enough description of the three kids they should've had, so conjuring them in his mind came quite easily to him.

He could see Pan, a young girl who had Videl's face but coal eyes like him. Then his son, Mark, who looked like him, but with curly hair, tanned skin and blue eyes. And Mika, who looked like his mom but had brown hair like Videl's mother. He could see them so clearly, so easily.

It made him want to cry.

"Hey, Marron," he said quietly to the little girl, who turned her head at him with an innocent smile. "If I ever have kids, you would be good to them, right?"

"Oh, of course!" she chirped happily. "I'd turn on a nightlight for them so that they wouldn't be scared in the dark. Daddy gave me one shaped like a star ━ I could give it to them!"

His heart melted. He patted the adorable girl on the head. "Yes, that would be nice."

* * *

"So, we meet again."

Gohan turned his head and grinned. "Indeed," he replied.

"Where's Goten?" Videl asked, coming up to his side as they walked together in the streets of Satan City.

"On a playdate with his friends. Sorry."

"Aww, what a shame. Bring him over tomorrow, okay? I miss my favorite cutie pie."

Gohan rolled his eyes playfully. "You're such a big softie."

Videl stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just jealous that he gets all my smooches."

He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know."

His admitting to it made Videl blush, and Gohan watched the red color pigmenting her cheeks with some satisfaction, knowing that he was the only one who managed to get her flustered. Him, or someone else when teasing her about him. But it had to be him in some way. And Gohan liked it that way.

She crossed her arms and pouted, looking ahead of her. "It's no fun when you admit it."

"Well, you've had your fun teasing me about it. I see the way you try not to laugh at me when you're hugging my brother."

A grin formed on her lips at his words and her eyes lit up; no doubt that she was recalling what he just mentioned. "You get so jealous, it's hilarious."

"Can you blame me? You're always all over Goten and completely forget about me. I feel left out."

"Well, can you blame _me_? You have the cutest little brother ever."

He laughed. "True. He is the cutest. And he got so popular as… Saiyaboy," he added, lowering his voice.

"Not surprising at all. He's got everyone under his charm. The kid got game."

Gohan snorted laughing, trying to stifle the unappealing sound with his hand, putting it over his nose and mouth.

"I do miss him," Videl said, looking over to him. "So bring him around tomorrow. I'm sure we'll cross paths at one point anyway."

"Indeed." He chuckled. "We've met by chance every weekend so far, without a miss."

"I can't believe it's almost May the seventh," Videl commented in wonder.

"Excited about the tournament?" Gohan asked with a knowing smile. "It's too bad you refused to take me up on teaching you how to fly. You wouldn't have had to worry about being pushed out of the ring."

"Well… Maybe some other time. I mean, we already spend a lot of time together. I don't want to press my luck with you."

He shrugged. "Does it matter at this point?"

"I guess not," she admitted, knowing exactly what he meant. They were so obviously in love with one another, so trying to spend less time together wouldn't make any difference at this point. The harm was already done. What was the worst that could happen now?

They walked side by side, a comfortable silence falling upon them. The sky was clear this afternoon, with no cloud in sight. Videl breathed in deeply, letting it out in a sigh of content.

"It's a nice day today, not too hot," she commented.

"Yeah. Your hair seems to bother you a lot when it's too hot."

She groaned at the mention. "You have _no_ idea. Sometimes I just want to chop it all off. But, I don't know, I'm not sure it'll look good on me, the short hair."

Gohan shrugged. "I'm sure anything would look good on you."

She flushed. "You're not exactly unbiased."

He turned to her and cracked a sheepish smile, his cheeks burning up. "True. But, well, I like long hair on you too, but I think you could pull off short hair."

She played with a pigtail, frowning in thought. "You think?"

"But I like you with long hair too, so, I'm not sure I'd want you to cut it. Not that you should make a decision based on my taste. I mean, it's your hair. It's your business."

"That's right," she said playfully. He grinned at her.

His eyes shifted from her face to her bare shoulder when the strap of her tank top slid off. Blood rushed to his face, his throat suddenly feeling tight and dry. He swallowed as he fought the urge to just reach over and put the strap back in place, longing to touch her skin.

Gohan got so caught up in his secret desires that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and stepped on some wrapping that littered the street ━ he slipped on it and let out a high-pitched squeak as he clumsily fell on his bottom.

Videl burst out laughing at his expense, and Gohan chuckled along, embarrassed at his ungraceful fall. At least he got to see Videl laughing. Still sitting on the pavement, Gohan felt his heart flutter pleasantly at the melodic sound, admiring the gorgeous girl as she giggled uncontrollably.

"Sorry for laughing," she said with a broad grin as she held her hand out to him. Gohan eagerly took it, feeling the intoxicating sparks ignite at the contact.

She helped him up, but he didn't let go of her hand. Now towering over her, Gohan felt his heart tighten as he gazed into her beautiful eyes. They were so blue, like the ocean. And he was drowning. He couldn't breathe.

He swallowed. Her mirth died down; her breath hitched. Alarms seemed to go off in her head, but she didn't try to pull her hand away. He intertwined their fingers, marveling at the difference between her small, slender hand and his much bigger and rough one. He wished she wasn't always wearing fingerless gloves, but even through the fabric, the contact felt so nice.

He just loved her so much. How he wished he could just tell her. How he wished he could just kiss her.

He let his eyes linger on his lips as the thought took over his mind. Gohan swallowed thickly. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't he be with the girl he loved? Why wasn't he allowed to kiss her?

Why would being with him change her in a way that she disliked so much, anyway? How bad could it be? And why would it even change her, for that matter? He didn't want Videl to change. She was perfect just the way she was. He loved everything about her and would never change a thing. It didn't make any sense. Why would being with him make Videl any different? He wouldn't encourage it, that was for sure.

He locked eyes with her once more. His throat tightened. Could she see what he was thinking about? Did she feel how much he craved to kiss her?

She swallowed, her face crimson red. His heart tightened. This was hopeless. How was he supposed to hold out three years of high school like this? The first month wasn't even over yet.

Gohan closed his eyes. His mouth got a mind of its own, speaking words without his consent.

"I… I want to be with you, Videl."

Silence met his impossible wish. He swallowed hard. He gave Videl's hand a squeeze.

"I'm in love with you," he murmured, saying the words for the first time even though they were both well aware of it.

"I'm sorry," Videl said softly in response. He looked at her once again. She was hanging her head, her eyes shut tightly.

He pulled at her hand and brought her closer, pressing her soft body all against him, wrapping his arms around her ━ praying with all his might that she wasn't going to push him away.

She was avoiding his gaze, her whole face getting even redder. He could feel every heavy breath she took, making her chest rise and fall against his torso. He cupped her cheek. She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"I'm in love with you, Videl," he said again, his voice hoarse from the emotion as he tightened his arm around her. "Please, at least look at me."

She obliged, and Gohan let himself drown in her deep blue eyes. He smiled at her, a sad, half-hearted smile. She swallowed, and he watched the way her trachea bobbed up and down as she did.

"I'm in love with you," he said once more, this time while looking her deep into her eyes. His thumb stroked her cheek tenderly. "I love you so much, Videl."

She was welling up. He hated himself for causing her more inner turmoil and suffering. For being so selfish. He wanted her so much that it was even stronger than his desire not to hurt her. He loved her so much it ached.

He leaned in and pressed his lips on hers ━ and the sparks exploded like fireworks. The feeling was so intense that their mingling breaths trembled.

He deepened the kiss, and Videl opened her mouth to let his tongue in. It felt just so… unbelievable. Explosive. The chemistry between them was like when he'd mixed the Cesium and water by mistake, the solution exploding upon contact.

He held her tighter, craving to feel more of her ━ to feel all of her. He wanted her so badly. He ached to make her his, to swallow her whole. But his desire went so much deeper than lust.

He wanted to be with her. He knew he already had her heart, but it wasn't enough. He wanted her visions to come true, no matter the consequences. He wanted her, he wanted that future she had foreseen. He wanted to marry her someday and start a family. He wanted to meet Pan, Mark and Mika, their future children. He wanted a life with Videl.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her back, making Gohan lean forward, causing her to dip lower. She opened her mouth against his and inhaled sharply, and Gohan felt his knees go weak. Kissing Videl felt so… so…

He was losing his mind. In the most delightful way.

But then Videl gasped. She put her hands against his chest and pushed him away all of a sudden. His heart sank as she took a step back, her eyes wide, her face bright crimson. Her hand rose, her fingers brushing her lips

"You…"

Her voice was but a quivering whisper. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Gohan felt like dying as they rolled down her cheeks. Hiding her face behind her hands, she cried silently.

"I… I'm so sorry, Videl."

He took a step and reached out to touch her arm, but his hand stilled before it could make contact. The chemistry. The sparks. He shouldn't touch her right now. It would be a mistake. It would only make things worse.

"What… have you done?" she croaked out, her voice broken with tears.

"I can still hold it down," he tried to reason with her. He couldn't lose her, not now, not ever. She had become too precious in his life. He needed her as much he needed the air he breathed. "We can still be friends. I promise you, Videl, I'll never try anything like that again. I'm so sorry."

She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, and his heart shattered at the thought of the pain _he_ was causing her. Why couldn't he control himself this time? Things had been going so well. And now he had ruined everything between them.

"It was just a one-time thing, I promise," he pressed on. "It'll never happen again, I swear. Just… Don't turn away from me, Videl. I… We can still be friends."

"No, Gohan, we can't. We shouldn't have tried in the first place. It just made things worse," she said, a sob shaking her body.

"But… It's too late now anyway. We've already fallen in love. But we can still be friends. We can still make it work. It hasn't been so bad for the past few weeks, has it?"

Chemistry be damned, Gohan cupped her face between his hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs. Her lips were trembling. He wished he could kiss away her pain.

But that was what had hurt her in the first place, wasn't it?

"I'm sorry, Videl. Please, don't push me away. We can still be friends."

"I… I don't think we can, Gohan."

"Videl…"

"I'm sorry."

Well, if he had nothing to lose… Gohan closed the distance between them and kissed her once more, relishing in the way Videl melted into his touch. He made this one last, pouring all of his love into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up, and deepened the kiss, groaning against her lips at the way her curves fit so perfectly into his strong body.

Her arms were around his neck. Her feet weren't touching the ground. She wasn't fighting this. She knew, too, that this was their last chance of having a taste of what could have been.

And it could have been so incredible.

His head was spinning. Kissing Videl just felt so damn _good_. He never wanted to stop. And he didn't. He kept kissing her, again and again, breathing every time he opened his mouth against hers.

His lips were getting sore and swollen from all the kissing, but that wasn't going to stop him. Slowly, she slid down along his body, back to her feet. Gohan swallowed her moan, one arm keeping Videl close against him while his other hand moved to the back of her neck, angling her head better as he lost himself completely into her.

"Gohan…"

She tried to say something, maybe she was trying to tell him he should stop. And she would probably be right. But reason be damned, he just couldn't. This felt too good. And it was his only chance. The last chance.

But Videl eventually regained her bearings, and she turned her head, effectively breaking their frenzied kissing.

He leaned his forehead against her temple. "This can't be the end. I just… I don't get it. I would never want you to change. I love you just the way you are, Videl. I would never want you to change."

"My visions were right about everything else, weren't they?" she murmured helplessly. "I'm sorry, Gohan. I know I'm being selfish. But I just can't risk it."

"I know." His arms tightened around her, and he nuzzled her neck, breathing her in deeply. Goodness, she smelled amazing. "I just wish things could be different."

She swallowed. "Yeah… Tell me about it."

* * *

"What do you mean, you and Videl aren't friends anymore?"

Gohan winced at the loud interjection. He rubbed an ear. "Well, I did something stupid, and now Videl doesn't want to be friends anymore."

Sharpner had taken him aside, dragging him into an empty hallway during the afternoon break. It became increasingly obvious as the day went on that something that happened between him and Videl, and the blond wanted answers.

"Oh, come _on_." The long-haired boy rolled his eyes. "How childish can you two be? What did you do that was sooo bad that Videl doesn't want to be friends anymore?" He scoffed.

"I…" Gohan swallowed, his face burning up. "I kissed her."

Silence met his confession, and the black-haired boy kept his gaze glued to the floor, unwilling to face his friend after what he admitted.

"You… kissed her? For real?"

He nodded his head in response.

"Ah, geez, now I don't know how to react," Sharpner said with a sigh of dismay. "On one hand, I want to say, "my man!" and give you a pat on the back, but on another hand, that was just the stupidest thing you could have done, Gohan. Geez. What came over you?"

"I just… I couldn't help it, okay?" he tried to defend himself. "Videl is…" He sighed. "I'm in love with her, plain and simple. And I told her. And then I kissed her."

"What do you think this is, a rom-com movie?" Sharpner shook his head at him.

He tilted his head. "What's a rom-com movie?"

The blond rolled his eyes. "A romantic comedy. Get out from under your rock from time to time, Mountain Boy."

"Oh. I guess it does sound like one of those movies," Gohan couldn't help but agree. He sighed deeply, digging his hands in his pockets. "Well, this is it, then. My first love, and it's over already."

Sharpner patted his shoulder in sympathy, and Gohan gave him a smile in thanks.

"So, how was it? Kissing Videl?" The other boy wriggled his eyebrows and nudged his side.

Gohan flushed, looking away. His throat tightened at the memory. "It was… like nothing I ever felt before. It was incredible. I can't believe I'll never get to kiss her again…"

Sharpner rolled his eyes again. "Will you stop talking like a girl already? Geez. Be a man. Stop moping and move on. Or don't, but stop moping."

"Well, I'm _sorry_ I'm not handling my broken heart like you would want me to," Gohan retorted sarcastically.

"You're such a girl."

"Maybe I am. But at least I'm not ashamed of my feelings."

"That, you sure are," Sharpner agreed with a smile of sympathy. "Look, everybody gets their hearts broken sometime. Welcome to teenagehood. I hear it sucks a lot."

Gohan heaved a deep sigh. "Yeah, it sure does…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Videl was on the roof, sitting on the ledge, her legs dangling to the nothingness. Her head was raised as she looked up at the endless blue of the sky. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she took a shuddering breath. She let them roll over her cheeks, mourning what she had to give up on.

Why did he have to kiss her? Things had been going so well between them since she agreed to be friends with him, but now Gohan had ruined everything. Now they couldn't even be friends. No more hanging out. No more Goten, either. She was going to miss the little tyke.

If only she could know for sure that she could be with Gohan without losing herself in the relationship.

She sniffed and wiped the wet trails on her face. Well, having a good cry made her feel a little better, at least. Videl turned around on the ledge and stood on the roof. The bell should be going off for class to start again soon.

She walked back inside and went down the stairs until she reached the floor of her classroom. She came upon Sharpner who was talking with… Gohan. Well, she couldn't expect her friends to follow her example and stop hanging out with Gohan just for her sake.

So she kept going, passing the boys without a look back. Her heart sank as she felt Gohan's longing gaze on her.

His words echoed in her head.

" _I'm in love with you."_

She had wanted to say it back. Oh, how she wished she could've just said it back.

And his kiss… Goodness, it had felt so amazing. She couldn't have conjured such an electrifying sensation even in her wildest dreams… The way it felt when Gohan kissed her… Oh, god, it had been pure bliss.

And she would never get to feel that way again.

Now back in her seat as she waited for the bell to ring, Videl stared into space, biting back tears. Now was not the time to break down. She already had her cry just now. She shouldn't need another.

Her breath hitched when Gohan walked into the classroom and their gazes met, instinctively seeking each other.

His eyes were screaming those words again. _"I'm in love with you."_

She was sure he could read the same thing in hers. Videl turned away, forcefully, breaking their eye contact. It just hurt so much.

If only she could just know for sure that she could be with Gohan without losing herself in the relationship.

But she couldn't. So it would never be.

How odd. Those two were back to avoiding each other, apparently. Something had obviously happened between them. Paige had stopped snooping into Videl's life since she found out Gohan was the Great Saiyaman, otherwise she would've known why those two didn't seem to be friends anymore.

While the girl was glad to see Videl so distraught and obviously hurt, she squirmed at the thought of Gohan ever finding out her involvement in his current predicament with the girl he loved. Well, nobody but her knew what she had done, so as long as she kept her mouth shut, she should be safe from Gohan's potential wrath.

She gulped. Oh, what had she gotten herself into?


	15. Her Frustrating Stubbornness

He had never been to one of those things, and Gohan wondered if the Tenkaichi Budokai had always been so crowded and stuffy. The sheltered boy had never seen so many people gathered in one place, and the sheer magnitude of it all was making his head spin.

Sharpner, Erasa, and Ruler, the kid with glasses who sat in the row below theirs in class, had invited him to come with them and cheer on Videl. Gohan hadn't needed to be convinced, for he loved watching Videl fight, and he did want to cheer for her. He was eager to see her win against her dad, too, because there was no doubt in his mind that she had surpassed the current world champion.

Never had he felt so normal, just hanging out with his friends, doing something together on a day off. No fighting, no superhero-ing, no saving the world. Just him, being a normal kid, doing normal things with his normal friends. It was a nice feeling.

The line was extra long for the ice cream stand, but the day was hot and the demi-Saiyan craved for a refreshing treat. His friends waited with him, thinking the same, and they chatted about this and that as they stood in the hot sun for their turn to make an order.

Videl was already off for the preliminaries, and she had come to the southern island with her father anyway. Every time someone qualified for the final phase of the tournament, their name would be announced in the speakers that stood all over the place. Gohan anxiously waited to hear Videl's name.

At last, it was their turn to order, and each of them had long made their choice while they waited in line. Gohan felt like having soft-serve ice cream, himself, strawberry flavored, and he watched in delight as the ice cream woman filled a huge cone with the reddish cream.

He thanked her when she handed him his order, and Gohan stared at it in amazement. The cream was so tall that he was surprised it wasn't slipping from the cone. The boy wasted no time and licked the refreshing texture, a sigh of content blowing through his nose as the flavor exploded in his mouth. Exquisite.

"Let's get to our seats!" Erasa said in excitement, holding a triple-scooped ice cream herself. One was vanilla, one chocolate, and the third was mint.

Sharpner wrapped his spare arm around her shoulders, holding a chocolate soft-serve ice cream in his other hand. "Sure babe. The Junior Division shouldn't be long now, for that matter."

"The Junior Division?" Gohan repeated as the group went on their way to the arena.

Sharpner rolled his eyes. "Don't you know anything, Mountain Boy?"

"Kids under the age of fifteen can't fight the adults," Ruler explained, before going back to eating his white chocolate Magnum ice cream.

"But they used to, didn't they?" Gohan asked for confirmation. As far as he knew, that was something new. If such a section existed at the time his father fought in the tournament, he wouldn't have been able to face the adult contenders back then, seeing as he was only twelve the first time he entered the competition.

"Yeah," Sharpner said. "Kids used to be able to enter the tournament like everyone else. Some even managed to get to the final phase."

"Son Goku was the youngest kid to ever fight in the tournament," Ruler said excitedly. "And he got to the final round every time! He was only _twelve_ the first time. Can you imagine, facing the greatest fighters in the world before even reaching puberty? The guy is a legend!"

Gohan smiled, glad that not everybody had been brainwashed by Satan mania. The current world champion claimed that what Son Goku and his friends could do were just cheap magic tricks, but even as much of a fan of Mr. Satan as Ruler was, he still kept his own beliefs and was apparently a big fan of the former world champion as well.

"Son Goku?" Erasa repeated the name, glancing over at Gohan. "He has the same family name as you," she remarked to the boy, who gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head.

"Huh, that's true," Ruler agreed, blinking at the information. Then his eyes bulged out in realization, turning to stare at the black-haired boy. "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! How did I never notice this before? You're basically his spitting image! Son Goku's your dad, isn't he?"

Gohan let out a nervous laugh. "Heh. Busted."

"Wait, for real?" Sharpner stared at him with wide eyes. And then he gave a loud laugh, throwing his head back. "Everything makes sense now! No wonder you're so good at sports! Your dad is _Son freaking Goku_!"

"Wow! Even I know about him," Erasa mumbled in shock.

"Wait, does that mean Son Goku is _dead_?" Ruler wailed. "Oh, man, I can't believe this! I've always wanted to meet him! This sucks!"

"I think what sucks more is that Gohan's lost his father, you dolt," Erasa berated the glasses-wearing boy, who froze at those words.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Gohan! Of course, it sucks so much more than you've lost your dad."

"Don't worry about it," Gohan reassured his friend with a warm smile. "It's kinda really cool that you're such a big fan of my dad. I'm sure he would have loved to meet you."

As he said that, Gohan couldn't help but wonder when his father was supposed to come back. Would it be this year, or maybe in a while like ten years from now? From what Videl said, her visions went pretty far in the future, so who knew when his dad was supposed to be resurrected? Ah, well. The important thing was that his death wasn't going to last. Still, Gohan hoped that he would get to see his dad alive and well really soon.

"It does suck that your dad's gone," Sharpner mused. "I would've loved to meet him too." He looked over at Gohan. "Does that mean you know martial arts?"

The demi-Saiyan saw no point in lying, so he told the truth. "Yeah, but my dad wasn't the one who taught me. He did train me later on though."

"Man, that must've been so cool, to train with the legendary Son Goku," Ruler gushed some more.

Gohan cracked a smile. "Yeah, they're some of my fondest memories."

"What was he like?" asked Erasa, her eyes softening.

"As awesome as Ruler has been saying," Gohan replied with an amused chuckle, getting a few more out of his friends. "He was the best man I've ever known. He was kind, pure-hearted, righteous, but also naive and pretty gullible."

"So, basically the same as you," Sharpner teased. Gohan blushed slightly.

"I guess… Well, he loved fighting, and nothing could get him more thrilled than the prospect of facing someone really strong."

"He sounds so cool," Ruler gushed again, stars in his eyes.

"Oh, he was. He was the best." Gohan sighed at the recollection. "He was truly an amazing man."

"I'll bet," Sharpner commented. "It really is a shame we can't meet him."

The four friends continued chatting as they went to their seats in the audience. Videl had pulled some strings for them, getting them quite close to the ring, and Gohan couldn't help looking around in amazement at the huge arena. Had it always been so extravagant?

"Videl has qualified for the final phase of the tournament!" they heard from the speakers. Gohan grinned, sending silent congratulations to the strong and talented girl. He never had a single doubt that she would get to the final phase, and he imagined how happy and proud Videl must have been right now.

He sought out her ki, combing through the mass, but the crowd was too thick, and Videl wasn't fighting, so he wasn't able to single out her energy signature. Gohan frowned slightly. Oh, well. Maybe he would go see her later to wish her good luck.

He probably shouldn't, but he wanted to. And, yes, he knew that they weren't friends anymore, but Gohan didn't care. Just because Videl decided he had to stay away from her didn't mean he wasn't allowed an exception every now and then. He was sure she wouldn't mind anyway.

The Junior Division soon began, and Gohan had to admit, while the level of martial arts was ridiculously low, the show was entertaining.

As the final match rolled around, Gohan told his friend that he was going to the bathroom, using his most trusted excuse whenever he followed Videl to fight crime during class, and excused himself to all the people he passed as he made his way to the end of their row.

Videl shouldn't be too hard to find, even in such a large crowd. Gohan went to the preliminary area first, focusing his senses to help him find the girl.

His eyebrows raised when he got there. Apparently, now they used a punch machine to assess a contestant's strength, disregarding skills and tactic completely when they selected the sixteen finalists. Well, fifteen, actually, since Mr. Satan was qualified by default. That was another new rule, from what Gohan knew about the tournament.

Videl didn't seem to be here, though. And then, finally, the boy felt her ki nearby. He grinned and ran in the direction that his senses were leading him.

It was a smaller, quieter area, where the participants who had won their spot in the final phase could rest, warm up, or just chill and hang out until the drawing began. There were benches where they could sit, and even some workout equipment here and there for those who wished to squeeze in one last training session before the Adult Division started.

Videl was standing aside, leaning back against a wall with her arms loosely crossed below her chest.

Gohan jogged up to her, a grin he could help digging into his cheeks. It hadn't been very long, barely a full week, but man, he'd missed this girl. Hopefully, she would be in a good enough mood and not push him away.

He called her name, and Videl turned her head to him, her eyebrows shooting to the top of her forehead when she saw him coming closer. And then she smiled and simply waited, and Gohan felt a wave of relief at that. She was okay with him going to her. Finally, he would be able to spend some time with the girl he loved. It had been days! It had been too long. He'd missed her too much.

"Hello, Son Gohan."

The demi-Saiyan turned his head toward the unfamiliar voice. A short, youthful-looking man was hovering next to a much bigger fellow. They were both dressed in weird but similar attires, with pointy shoulder pads, turbans for belts, tight-fitted coats with long bottom parts that formed a circular shape behind them, and puffy shoulders on the young one's undertop. They both had puffy pants and bland boots, also. The smaller of the pair had purple skin and his white hair was styled in a mohawk. His companion, a stern-looking man with a heavily wrinkled, pink-skinned face, also had white hair, but his was long and combed back.

The duo gave Gohan an odd sensation. Were they even human? Using his senses, he realized that they were concealing their kis. How intriguing.

"I've heard a lot about you," the purple-skinned man said. He dropped to his feet, holding out his hand. "I'm Shin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Son Gohan."

The teen shook his hand, and he had a strange feeling, as though Shin was reading him like an open book. The man gave a knowing smile before letting go and stepping back.

"Your heart is as pure as I was told."

Gohan blinked. _Huh?_

"It's a shame that you aren't fighting in the tournament," Shin continued. "You would have been spectacular, of that I'm certain."

"Um… Thanks?"

"We will talk again soon, I'm sure," he said over his shoulder, walking beside his silent companion. "Goodbye."

Gohan watched them go, not quite sure what just happened. His eyebrows furrowed deeply. Was something going on? He had a bad feeling about this. Not about those men in particular, but about what they could potentially bring along. Something was cooking, and Gohan couldn't imagine it being anything good.

"Who was that?"

He turned his head and his frown melted away instantly. "I don't know. I've never seen those men before."

A suspicious glint shone in her eyes as Videl observed the pair from afar. Gohan felt his heart melt. He was so happy that she had come to him, that she was just talking to him, even. He'd missed her too much.

"How odd…"

"Yeah."

She glanced back at him, giving him a pointed look. "So, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the audience with the others?"

"I was, but I wanted to wish you good luck for the tournament."

Videl raised her eyebrows, but soon her expression softened and a gentle smile curved her lips. "Thanks. I hope I win."

"I'm sure you will." But as he said that, Gohan wondered if he still believed his words. With Shin and his intimidating companion in the competition, did Videl still stand a chance at winning the championship?

"Only got to beat my dad. I'm pretty confident I could take anyone else," she said with a cocky smirk.

Gohan stared at her dreamily, forgetting about his earlier musing as he let himself drown in her beautiful blue eyes.

"I've missed you."

She blushed, looking away. She tucked a few stray locks of hair behind her ear, and Gohan watched her with a pinch in his chest. He swallowed. He wished he could help her with her stray hair himself, brushing them away, letting his hand linger on her cheek.

He remembered how it felt to touch her, to kiss her… Gohan's throat tightened, unwittingly lowering his gaze to her full, cherry lips. Heat rushed to his face at his thoughts.

And then another one trumped the others. What was he risking at this point? Videl couldn't unfriend him a second time. Things couldn't get any worse. What was holding him, really?

Nothing. Nothing was in his way anymore.

He reached out a hand, his fingertips grazing her bangs, then slowly sliding down her temple. Videl's breath hitched, and her gaze returned on him, her eyes wide.

"Gohan…? What are you…?"

He didn't answer, letting his hand cup her cheek, his thumb stroking her smooth skin.

She swallowed loudly. But she wasn't pushing him away. Gohan put his other hand on her cheek, now cupping her face between his palms.

"Gohan…?" she croaked out, her voice unsure, hesitant.

"Shh…"

He leaned in, closed his eyes, then pressed his lips on hers in a gentle kiss. Goodness, it felt even better than what he remembered. His hands trembled as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in her mouth, seeking her own wet muscle as more delectable sparks ignited between them. He was elated that Videl was kissing him back, that she wasn't rejecting him, that she hadn't even tried to push him away.

He took his sweet time, savoring every second of kissing the girl he loved, memorizing the way it felt, the way she tasted, the way she smelled, how intoxicating and addicting it all was.

He was weak in the knees. His breath was coming short, his lips were getting swollen. Still, Gohan refused to pull away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the girl and brought her closer, pressing her all against him, her soft, curvy body fitting so perfectly against his strong, angular frame.

She moaned into his mouth, her arms going around his neck, pulling him closer. He loved how she just melted into him, how, despite her best efforts, Videl simply couldn't resist when he kissed her.

A monk cleared his throat, but Gohan was reluctant to listen to his good manners and pull away from this incredible girl such as social convention would dictate.

But it just felt too good. He never wanted to stop.

"Excuse me, Miss Videl?" the monk called hesitantly.

She started to pull away, but Gohan dipped his head right in, catching her lips once more. She whimpered, and the boy smirked against her mouth, feeling her becoming goo in his arms.

"Miss Videl, the drawing has begun and they've been calling your name," the monk informed them impatiently.

Gohan groaned in resignation. Darn it, he had no choice now. Still, he took his sweet time, savoring every second left as he slowly pulled away from her delicious lips. He grinned at a dazed Videl as her eyes fluttered open, keeping her in his arms for a few more moments.

He leaned in. "This was for good luck," he whispered in her ear, before finally letting her go.

Her face flushed completely, her hand raising to her swollen lips. Gohan gave her a wave and turned around to leave, feeling like he was walking on a cloud after that unbelievable kiss.

He let out a dreamy sigh. His love for this girl was making his heart swell so much, it felt like it was ready to explode. If only they could be together… Well, since that wasn't an option, and neither was staying friends, Gohan supposed that stealing a few kisses here and there would be better than nothing. Even if he could never truly be with the girl he loved, he could still have something with her, however fleeting and bittersweet those moments would be.

The other contestants were giving him looks as he walked away, some were sly and congratulating, others were dark and jealous.

Gohan passed a pair of bald fighters, one was huge and the other smaller and thinner, but both were beefy and looked especially tense. Veins were pulsing visibly all over their muscular bodies, even on their skulls. A stylized _M_ s was tattooed on their foreheads. The demi-Saiyan paused to watch the two, his brow furrowing deeply in worry. Something felt… off, with those guys. Gohan wouldn't pinpoint what, but as he scanned their kis, something felt definitely wrong. Unnatural. Evil.

The big guy suddenly recognized that it was his name that was being called. Spopovitch grunted as he pushed his heavy body to the drawing box, his hand almost too big to pick a ball with a number. Gohan watched as the monks repeated the number between themselves and one of them scribbled Spopovitch's name on the board with the upcoming fights.

His stomach twisted unpleasantly. Spopovitch's name was right next to Videl's. She would be fighting this monstrous mountain of muscles in the first round. Usually, Gohan wouldn't worry about her, for he has seen Videl easily beat men even bigger than Spopovitch.

But something was wrong with this guy. He wasn't any common beefy fighter. He was dangerous. And he would be fighting Videl in the third match…

Gohan tried to reassure himself, reminding himself that the girl could take care of herself, that she had proven more than once that she could handle that type of opponent. He had no reason to worry because Videl was going to do just fine on her first fight. She was going to win, and she would eventually have to face her father, and she would beat him too, eventually becoming the new world champion.

He swept his gaze about the room, finding the odd duo he was looking for. And then a lump rose in his throat. Shin was watching Spopovitch and his companion, a deep, harsh frown taking up his youthful face.

Something bad was definitely going on here. Gohan didn't know what, but he was sure that, much to his chagrin, he was going to find out soon enough.

He looked at Videl, standing among the finalists, unsuspecting of the danger she was in. Gohan swallowed. He wanted to grab her and fly away from here, get her as far away from this place as possible.

Videl caught his eyes. Her face flushed and she quickly looked away. His heart sank. How could he protect her? How could he keep her away from the imminent danger?

He had to stay alert, the demi-Saiyan decided. Whatever was going to happen today, Gohan had to be ready. He was glad he had gotten back into training for the past month, because the young warrior had a feeling that he was going to need every bit of his colossal strength.

Gohan let out a heavy sigh as he left the drawing area. So much for a normal day…

* * *

Videl stole a glance in Gohan's direction as he left, feeling her cheeks burn up while her fingers brushed her lips.

That sneaky bastard. Stealing a kiss from her like that…

Well, actually, why wouldn't he? Gohan had nothing left to lose now. She had already taken everything from him; there was nothing left, nothing worse that she could do to him. She'd already denied him their fated love story, she even refused to be friends with him again, so Gohan really had nothing else to lose.

And, honestly… What was the harm in that? If Gohan wanted to kiss her, why couldn't he? It didn't make them a couple, so Videl would still be safe from the future she saw in her visions. As long as they didn't end up married, she wasn't going to lose herself in the relationship, so, really, they wouldn't be doing anything wrong. If Gohan wanted to kiss her, if he intended to do it again, Videl wasn't going to stop him.

It was the only thing they could have, and it just felt so intoxicating and incredible. Her face burned up at the very vivid sensations that lingered on her whole being. His hands on her cheeks, his lips on hers, his breath mingling with hers, his arms wrapping around her, pressing her all against him…

Videl found herself anxious to see Gohan again. The next time, she might even be the one to initiate the kiss. After all, if she was okay with it happening from time to time, she had no reason to wait for him to make the move.

The hair rose on the back of her neck, and Videl swept her gaze around, trying to find who was watching her. She locked eyes with the odd purple-skinned fellow, who was observing her with interest. He shot her a knowing smile, and Videl found herself blushing once more, having the unpleasant feeling that this man knew exactly what was going on in her head.

Little did she know, she was absolutely right.

* * *

The first match was over quickly, and the contender named Punta won. He was huge and fat, his skin dark, his hair shaved save from a ponytail, and he was dressed like a genie. Gohan wasn't sure he was enjoying himself when he had watched Punta break his opponent's back by sitting on him. Maybe these kinds of events just weren't his thing.

The next match was with Shin and some other fighter called Kubo. The latter rushed Shin as soon as the fight started, but the purple-skinned man moved so fast that nobody but Gohan could see how he dodged his opponent's attack and knocked him down in one swift strike. To everyone else, it looked as though Kubo just fell unconscious as soon as he got close to Shin, and a murmur of confusion rose in the stadium as the blond announcer hesitantly proclaimed Shin as the winner after the ten seconds count.

The man then announced the next fight: Spopovitch against Videl. Gohan listened nervously as the blond man talked about the contestants. Apparently, Spopovitch had lost to Videl's father in the previous tournament, and he had come back with a new look.

As the beefy man passed Shin, the short fellow paused and frowned deeply at him, watching him intently over his shoulder as Videl's opponent climbed onto the ring.

Gohan's stomach twisted in worry. Videl was going to be okay, right?

And then the fight began. Videl got in the offensive and peppered Spopovitch with vicious strikes, all of her attacks hitting home while she effortlessly blocked all of her opponent's attempts at striking back. She knocked him down; he got back up, and Videl was onto him again, not letting him catch his breath.

Gohan was starting to feel hopeful. She was doing great. Maybe he had worried over nothing. Maybe the danger looming in the tournament wouldn't be Spopovitch. Maybe Videl was going to win this fight, and, who knew, even the tournament? Her chances were lower because of Shin, and Gohan assumed that the pink-skinned man that accompanied him was probably just as strong, but, who knew what could happen? Strength wasn't everything in a fight, skills and smarts were just as important, and with the possibility to push an opponent out of the ring to win, Videl could still come out the victor if she played her cards right and if either Shin or the other man went easy on her. It was still possible. She could still win the tournament and become the new champion.

And then Spopovitch got back up, yet again, and his bloodied face twisted in a sinister grin. Videl didn't have the time to react when he swatted her like a bug, throwing her a good distance away. She jumped back to her feet immediately, but Spopovitch was too quick for her and she wasn't able to block his kick. It was so strong that she was flung far away and over the ring. Videl flailed her arms, as though it could help her from landing outside of the ring, and in that moment Gohan was glad that he didn't get a chance to teach her how to fly because it meant that she would be safe from getting hurt any more.

But then something unheard of happened, and the audience gasped in shock. Spopovitch had caught Videl's leg, saving her from losing by ring-out, and then he threw back onto the fighting area.

Gohan watched in horror. This couldn't be happening. She had lost. She should've been safe.

And yet…

He gulped, feeling helpless as Videl rushed her opponent again, jumping high and delivering a devastating kick to his neck. A sickening _crack_ followed, and Spopovitch's head twisted in an unnatural angle, his neck broken, the hit lethal. The audience gasped in horror at the sight.

For a few moments complete silence swept over the entire arena.

But then Spopovitch grabbed his head and popped it back in place, much to everybody's shock. He moved his head from side to side, cracking the muscles in his neck. And then he gave Videl a sinister grin again, and Gohan's fists trembled on his lap as the monster punched the girl he loved right in the face.

She got back up, holding her bleeding nose, panting heavily. Spopovitch was rushing her again and she barely evaded his next punch, but he came back at her and this time his attack hit home. Videl was down again, but she got back up.

"Damn it, Videl, just give up the fight," Gohan gritted out in frustration. Why was this girl so stubborn? Couldn't she see that she wasn't going to win this?

And yet, no matter how many times Spopovitch pummeled her to the ground, Videl kept getting back up. Again and again, no matter how hurt she was or how bloodied she got, she just kept getting back up.

And Gohan had to bottle down his growing anger. He could barely hold himself from going Super Saiyan right there, right now, in the middle of the audience. He didn't even care that he was in public. He just wanted this torture to end.

Spopovitch grabbed Videl by the hair, holding her up, and then he punched her in the stomach. Gohan's teeth gritted harder. He couldn't take this. He wanted to kill that bastard for putting the girl he loved through that inhumane beating.

The monster let go of Videl, but only to throw another punch at her, flinging her so far that her head dropped off the edge of the ring. She panted and groaned in pain.

"Give up!" Gohan shouted as loud as he could. "Just give up the fight, Videl! It's not worth it!"

The blond announcer seemed to agree, saying something to Videl, but the girl stubbornly got back on her feet, holding her sore shoulder as Spopovitch approached her once more.

"Damn it, Videl! Can't you see? He's ruthless! He could kill you!" Gohan shouted, hoping his warning would reach the girl.

But she drove her leg up in response, clearly not done fighting. Spopovitch only took a step back from the kick, before giving her that sinister grin again, licking the blood around his mouth.

He grabbed her hair once more and this time it was his knee that crashed onto her face. It was covered in blood, a few teeth falling off her mouth.

Gohan saw red. His ki was rising. "You… You bastard…"

Spopovitch dropped Videl on the ring and then proceeded to put his boot on the side of her head, as though he tried to squash it like a bug. Videl cried out in pain, tears rolling to her temple from her shut eyelids.

He couldn't take it anymore. Gohan stood, not caring that he startled his friends and the people around. His ki skyrocketed, and he stopped fighting it ━ the transformation changed his hair from black to gold and his eyes to teal, a golden aura shining around him. He didn't notice the stares of shock around him. He didn't care that he just turned Super Saiyan in public, right in front of his friends.

The only thing he cared about was making that son of a bitch pay for what he'd done to Videl!

"You bastard," he gritted out, pure rage lacing his every word, getting ready to pummel the monster for what he put Videl through. "I'm going to _kill_ you."

And then Spopovitch's look-alike companion told him to stop messing around, and Videl's torturer finally threw her out of the ring.

The transformation faded out instantly. Unable to think, Gohan jumped over the few rows below him and landed right onto the grass around the ring, rushing to Videl's side.

His heart clenched painfully as he cradled her head in his arms. She was completely broken. She needed a Senzu bean. Like, right now.

The medical team arrived with a stretcher, telling Gohan that they will take it from there.

"No, it's fine," the boy replied. "I'll carry her to the infirmary myself."

Nobody dared protest as he carefully picked Videl up in his arms. He saw Spopovitch walk away out of the corner of his eyes and called out to him. The monster looked at him over his shoulder.

"I'll make you regret this. I swear to you," he said, barely restraining himself from doing just that right there, right now. If Videl wasn't in such a critical state, he wouldn't have hesitated for a second.

Spopovitch gave him another one of his sinister grins in response, and then Gohan turned away, rushing Videl to the infirmary.

How was he going to get her a Senzu bean? The Korin Tower was too far, it would take him too long to go and come back. If only he knew his dad's Instant Transmission technique, then he could be gone and back in seconds. Alas, Goku never taught it to his son, whose mind was reeling as he tried to figure out what to do.

Should he leave Videl for that long? What if one of her internal organs was ruptured and she died before he had the time to come back? Gohan figured he could always use the Dragon Balls to bring her back if things turned out that bad, so he comforted himself with the fact that nothing was non-reversible, not even death. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, of course. He still had to go and get Videl a Senzu bean.

Luckily for him, he had a guardian angel watching over him. Or, more precisely, a former divinity.

He laid Videl on the bed in the infirmary and stepped back as the medical team cared for her. His heart heavy, Gohan turned and left the room. He then reached out with his senses, because he had no idea how to get to the Korin Tower from the island where the tournament was held. His best bet would be to find Piccolo's ki, who was the strongest fighter in the area and currently lived on Dende's Lookout, which happened to be right above the Korin Tower. Well, give or take a few thousand miles, anyway.

And then his face lit up. Piccolo was actually on his way to him right now! Gohan couldn't believe his luck, but he had no time to waste. He rushed out of the building and took off to the sky, flying toward Piccolo to meet him halfway. Surely, the Namekian had thought of bringing Senzu beans with him, right?


	16. His Fiery Rage

Gohan couldn't believe his luck. As it turned out, Piccolo did bring Senzu beans with him before heading South for the tournament. When he had sensed Gohan's ki skyrocket, so full of rage, he had looked down from the Lookout and had seen what was going on.

His aura shining golden, the demi-Saiyan was soaring through the sky on his way back, not waiting for Piccolo to catch up to him. He arrived in no time and didn't pause before taking off again, this time on foot, rushing to the infirmary.

He opened the door without knocking. "Videl, I got you something!"

"Who the hell are _you_?" Mr. Satan demanded, clearly not in a welcoming mood. Gohan didn't pay him any mind: what mattered most was to give the Senzu bean to Videl.

"Go…han?" she said in a ragged breath.

He came up to the bed and sat on the edge by her side, showing her the tiny green bean between his thumb and index finger.

"It's a magical bean," he explained. "Once you eat it, you'll be all better."

Her half-lidded eyes dropped to the green nutrient, and a knowing smile formed on her bruised lips.

"It's a… Senzu bean, right?"

Gohan chuckled. He should've known. Of course Videl would be familiar with them. Her visions had shown her their future, and it was expected that they would still be using Senzu beans years from now.

The monk doctor protested, saying that he couldn't give anything to the patient, while Mr. Satan forbade Videl to listen to "that boy". But they both tuned them out and Videl opened her mouth while Gohan fed her the bean.

She chewed, and Gohan waited anxiously for her to swallow. Mr. Satan was ordering his daughter to spit it out, quite angry that neither of them was listening to him.

And then Videl opened her eyes wide. Gohan grinned as she simply sat up. All of her injuries and bruises were gone. Only her tattered clothes and the stain of blood remained as a reminder of the horrific beating she took during her match. She looked at her hands in awe while both Mr. Satan and the monk stared at her with their eyes bulging out.

"I'm…"

Unable to help himself, Gohan pulled her to him and hugged her tight, the heavy weight in the pit of his stomach finally lifting. He sighed in relief.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again," he murmured hoarsely.

Videl flushed, burying her face in his chest to hide her embarrassment. Nonetheless, she let her muscles relax and melted in Gohan's arms, soaking in his warmth, in his scent, in his love.

"Videl! What the hell is going on? Who is this _boy_?" her father bellowed, saying the last word like an insult.

His booming voice forced her back to reality. She started to pull away from Gohan, but she felt some resistance, the young man obviously reluctant to let go. She couldn't help cracking a smile at that. But she couldn't blame him.

"You! Let go of my daughter right this instant if you don't want me to make you!"

Gohan let out a faint scoff, and Videl grinned, almost hearing him thinking in retort, _I'd like to see you try._

"Gohan, now's not the time," she told him in a low voice.

He sighed in resignation and let her go, standing from the bed. "I guess I'll see you later."

She nodded at him, a beautiful smile on her lips. Gohan felt his heart clench.

"You're not going anywhere until I have answers!" Mr. Satan demanded.

The demi-Saiyan gave the man an annoyed look. "My name is Gohan and I go to school with Videl. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have someone to beat up."

"What are you…?" Videl started, only to widen her eyes in realization. "Wait, you don't mean Spopovitch, do you?"

Gohan's face hardened and he clenched his fists at the mention of that monster. He couldn't wait to pummel Spopovitch to the ground and give him back everything he'd done to the girl he loved. "Who else? I'm not a contestant, so it's not like I could be disqualified for fighting outside of the official matches."

"But he won against me, and he's supposed to be fighting in the next round."

"And I should care because…?"

Videl stared at the young man, her lips parted. She had never seen him like this. He was gritting his teeth, his eyes harsh and cold, his fists trembling at his sides as he barely contained his anger.

"Wait a minute! If anyone's gonna beat up Spopovitch, it's gonna be me!" Mr. Satan sputtered indignantly.

Gohan rolled his eyes, clearly not having the patience to deal with her father's nonsense.

"Then get in line."

He turned to leave, reaching for the doorknob.

"Get him good, Gohan," Videl found herself saying. "Make him pay." His expression relaxed as he looked over and smiled at her. He gave her a thumb-up.

Then Gohan went out the door, leaving Mr. Satan outraged that she would trust such a scrawny-looking kid to do something that was his own right as her father. Videl tuned him out and got off the bed, heading out of the room despite the champ's loud protests. She needed a shower and a change of clothes, and if she wanted to see Gohan avenge her, she'd better hurry up, because it didn't look like the boy had the patience to wait for her.

* * *

When he had felt Gohan turn Super Saiyan, his ki so full of rage, Piccolo had turned his attention to the Southern island where the tournament was held. From the Lookout, Piccolo had accessed the situation, and then he had spotted two individuals who made an ancient part of him quite uneasy. Shaking it off as he focused on helping Gohan, he had stopped by Korin's and asked for Senzu beans. Korin hadn't been growing them lately, so he only had three available. One was all Piccolo needed though, so he took the light pouch before hurrying off to join Gohan.

The boy had met him halfway, not having the patience to stand around until he arrived while his friend desperately needed a Senzu bean. Piccolo was happy to give one to Gohan, and then the kid didn't wait around for him and rushed right back to his friend. Piccolo didn't blame the kid. Time was of the essence in situations like these. The girl was in a truly horrific state and it was only natural for Gohan to want to help her get better as quickly as possible.

Piccolo didn't turn back and continued on his course, however. He wanted to find out more about the two individuals he had had a glimpse of earlier. Something big seemed to be cooking, and if the Earth was in danger again, it was his responsibility to protect it.

The Kami side of him had taken more room in his individuality than he had intended. Or maybe Piccolo's affection for Gohan spread like a virus and made him actually care for the people on this planet.

Either way, this was who he was now. The demon side of him no longer existed ━ he had been gone for far longer than the Namekian cared to admit, to tell the truth.

He snuck into the contestants' area, which had been easy enough despite his more than noticeable stature. Super speed made things such as these far easier.

Shin seemed to be waiting for him, Kibito by his side.

"I'm not surprised that you came to find me," the purple-skinned being said with a knowing smile. "After all, you used to be the Guardian of this planet."

Sweat gathered on Piccolo's temples. His mind was reeling. He could feel in his very core that he was in the presence of a deity of great importance.

"Are you the Grand Kaio?" he asked.

Frowning at him, Kibito corrected him sternly. "This is the Kaioshin of the universe."

His eyes bulging out, Piccolo gaped, unable to form any coherent word as he processed the information, his mind going into overdrive at what he just heard.

Governing each side of the universe were the four Kaios, and above them was the Grand Kaio. And even above that deity, the Kaioshin governed: the god of all gods, the highest power in the universe.

And he was walking the Earth. What was going on?

"Why are you here?" he asked when he finally regained his bearings, which took a lot longer than he cared to admit.

"We'll tell you everything, but right now something important is taking place," Shin said. "I was thinking of using Gohan to get Yamu and Spopovitch to attack him so that we could follow them to their hideout place, but it seems that something had made our plans shift. Let's go. We have to see how the situation unfolds."

Having no choice but to obey the highest of gods, Piccolo nodded his head gravely. He didn't like the sound of what Shin had planned for Gohan, but he knew better than to voice his objections. Gohan would be fine anyway. Shin wouldn't let anything bad happen to the boy ━ it wasn't like those two goons, Spopovitch and Yamu, posed a threat of any kind to the demi-Saiyan, either.

Something bigger was cooking, though, that much was obvious. And there was only one way to find out what: he had to let things play out.

* * *

Spopovitch was huddled over with his companion, Yamu, the two muttering between themselves. They were standing in a corner and seemed dissatisfied by the current match. Apparently the fight with Shin's friend, Kibito and some other contestant was already over. The two fighters in the ring right now were all-around human and seemed pretty normal. The fight probably looked entertaining for normal people.

Well, none of that mattered, really. Gohan's eyes hardened, his fists tightly closed as he glared at the bald, beefy man.

"Spopovitch," he gritted out, feeling his ki level climb rapidly as his anger intensified at the way the monster looked at him over his shoulder and shot him that sinister grin again.

How he couldn't wait to wipe that ugly grin off his face.

"We have a score to settle."

Yamu scoffed. "We have more important things to focus on. Get lost, boy."

Gohan took a step forward. It was taking everything he had _not_ to turn Super Saiyan right there and then.

"I'd advise you to step aside if you don't want to get caught in the crossfire," he warned the smaller bald man. "Because I'm going to shred Spopovitch to pieces no matter who gets in my way."

"Let him be, Yamu," Spopovitch said with that sinister grin, running his disgusting tongue over his mouth. "It's not them anyway. We've got time until the next fight."

"Tss. Fine. But at least get somewhere out of sight. If you get disqualified, it'll just make things more complicated."

Gohan eyed the shorter man, suspecting the duo to be up to no good. Well, if he put Spopovitch out for the count, that should hinder whatever they were planning to do. He would just have to take care of Yamu next. No way he was letting those two out of his sight when they were so obviously scheming up some evil plan.

He followed the pair in a quiet corner, near the walls surrounding the arena and behind the building where the participants waited for their turns and could watch the ongoing match. Nobody would disturb them here. Good. Yamu kept watch, throwing anxious glances around and giving Spopovitch pointed looks to hurry this thing up.

The more he looked at the giant's smug face, the more Gohan's anger rose, making it hard to fight down the urge to turn Super Saiyan.

But if he were to transform, if he let his rage consume him and let his Saiyan side take over, he could actually kill Spopovitch. And while the thought more than appealed to him, especially when images of Videl's bloodied and broken body kept flashing in his mind as he glared at the monster, Gohan didn't want to murder the fool in cold blood. However satisfying that would feel, and even with his Saiyan instincts screaming at him to just let go and kill that poor excuse of a man, Gohan wouldn't give in to them. Not this time. He'd never wanted to kill anybody, not even when he was facing Cell.

After the way he had mercilessly executed the Cell Juniors, after the way he had let the power go to his head, disobeying his father and refusing to finish off Cell when he had the chance… This had led to his father sacrificing his life to make up for his own foolish mistake.

From that day on, Gohan had sworn to himself to never let his rage and bloodlust take over him like that again. So, now, even as much as the Saiyan in him demanded that he kill the bastard for what he had done to the girl he loved ━ Gohan was not willing to let his rage go to his head, not this time. He had learned his lesson.

"Get to it, already!" Yamu growled impatiently, hovering to look over the wall, making sure nobody could see them. Gohan eyed him with interest. He hadn't known those two knew how to control their kis. From what the announcer had said about Spopovitch, he had lost against Mr. Satan in the previous tournament, and Gohan didn't think he would have known how to use his energy back then.

What did it mean? Who were those guys?

Spopovitch rolled his eyes at his companion but obeyed nonetheless. He attacked first, throwing a punch at Gohan. His eyes widened when his adversary caught his wrist like it was nothing.

Gohan's eyes narrowed as panic began to distort the enormous man's face while he attempted and failed to break free from the vice-like grip.

A sinister _crack_ indicated that the bone had broken. Yamu's head whipped at them and he stared at the scene in shock: Spopovitch holding his broken limb while the scrawny-looking kid stared him down.

"I told you I'd make you pay," Gohan gritted out, before planting his fist into Spopovitch's stomach, making the gigantic man gag from the devastating blow. He followed with an uppercut to Spopovitch's chin, and as his body began to rise from the powerful hit, Gohan used the momentum, letting out a cry as he jumped and delivered a roundhouse kick that threw the giant into the wall, the painful impact creating a dent in the shape of his body.

It took all of his willpower to keep his strength under control. One wrong move, one single moment of lapse of judgment, and Spopovitch wouldn't live to see another day. As much as the monster deserved to die a horrible and painful death, Gohan wasn't willing to cross that line.

Yamu attacked him, but the demi-Saiyan swatted him away like a fly, making him crash into the wall. The hit was strong enough to crackle the bricks, but Gohan had controlled himself enough not to make Yamu go _through_ the wall. He didn't need to draw attention to what was going on here.

"P… Please…" Spopovitch croaked out pitifully, sliding down the wall to fall on his behind, holding his broken wrist.

This set Gohan off, and the transformation happened instantly, his golden aura shining brightly around him as he glared murder at Spopovitch.

"Are you friggin' _kidding_ me right now?" he bellowed, his voice rising with his ki. "Did you just ask me to spare you… after the way you _tortured_ Videl for no other reason than your sick pleasure?"

Grunting as he got to his feet, Yamu got a round item out of his pants' pocket, pointing it in Gohan's direction. His eyes widened.

"S… Spopovitch! It's him!"

"What good does that do us? He's gonna kill us before we even try to get his energy!"

Gohan's teal eyes shifted from one man to the other.

"Explain what you mean. Now," he ordered.

"Y… Yes. Of course," Spopovitch said, swallowing loudly at the murderous glare of the Super Saiyan.

"Spopovitch!" Yamu protested vehemently. "What do you think Master Babidi will do to us if he learns you blabbed?"

"What do you think _he'll_ do to us before we even get back to Master Babidi?" Spopovitch snarled in retort.

"Good point," Gohan agreed, his voice cold and menacing. While he had no intention of taking their lives, them thinking he might was good enough for him.

He grabbed Spopovitch by the neck and slammed the humongous man against the wall, controlling his strength enough not to break through the bricks.

"Now _talk_."

"Spopovitch, shut up!" Yamu said in panic, apparently more scared of this Babidi fellow than of the glowing young man squeezing his companion's throat.

"I don't… want to… die!" Spopovitch choked out at Yamu. Then he turned fearful eyes to Gohan. "You'll… protect us, right? If we tell you… everything we know… you… won't let Master Babidi… hurt us, will you?"

Gohan spat to the side, the mere idea of having to protect this piece of scum revolting him at his very core.

"Where is Babidi's spaceship?"

Gohan raised his head as Shin and Kibito landed by them, accompanied by Piccolo. He eyed the pair suspiciously. So they knew what Yamu and Spopovitch had been up to from the beginning. They might have been able to stop Spopovitch from pummeling Videl, had they acted sooner.

"No, we wouldn't have," Shin replied to his thoughts, causing the Super Saiyan to widen his eyes. That man could read minds. "There is something much bigger going on, Gohan, and we need to find where Babidi is and stop him from unleashing a great evil into the world."

"Speak," Kibito said coldly to the man in the Super Saiyan's grip. "Where is Babidi's ship?"

"We're not telling you anything!" Yamu snarled, apparently not getting that he and his accomplice were outmatched.

Piccolo grunted and shot a blast at the man, knocking him out. "We only need one of them conscious, and that one wasn't being cooperative," he explained.

The attention then turned to the choking man in Gohan's vice-like grip.

"Gohan, he won't be able to tell us what we need to know if you choke him," Piccolo remarked, a smirk curving his lips.

The Super Saiyan grunted and let go of Spopovitch, who coughed and wheezed now that he could finally fill his lungs with much-needed air.

"Speak before I change my mind." His fingers twitched at his sides. "I'm still itching to give you back everything you've done to Videl, and take my time doing it too. I was barely getting started."

"Alright, alright! I can bring you to Master Babidi's ship, but you have to promise me you won't let him hurt me!" Spopovitch said in panic, pointing his good hand at Gohan.

"Deal," Shin agreed without a second thought.

Gohan scowled in protest. So that was it? Spopovitch would be free to roam the Earth and even be in their protection even after what he had done to Videl? This was unacceptable. Spopovitch deserved to pay for what he did, and Gohan wasn't nearly done with that monster.

Shin gave him a severe look.

"We don't have a choice, Gohan," he said, once again answering his thoughts directly. "I understand how much you want to get back at him for what he did to the girl, but this is bigger than us. The whole universe is in danger."

The boy let his transformation fade out with a deep, frustrated sigh, conceding to listen to reason despite his urge to avenge Videl.

"Oh, there you are. I've been looking all over for you."

The group turned around to the newcomer. The pigtailed girl observed the odd scene with a suspicious frown, trying to figure out what was going on. She had cleaned up after her horrible defeat and was now wearing a blue shirt with the word _FIGHT_ printed on her chest. Under it was an orange long-sleeved shirt, and she had white slacks on along with a pair of boots.

"Videl, what are you doing here?" Gohan asked her.

"We'll just go ahead to Babidi's ship," Shin decided. He turned a harsh look at Spopovitch. "Lead the way."

"Or I can make you," Piccolo offered, his hand glowing with energy to show that he was just as capable of hurting him as Gohan.

Spopovitch gulped loudly, the blood on his face mixing with sweat. He nodded once, before a white aura surrounded him in a burst of ki and he took off to the sky. Shin, Kibito, and Piccolo flew after him, leaving Videl to stare at them in wonder while Gohan tried to decide how to handle the situation with her.

"I have to go too," he told her. "I'm stronger than Piccolo, and I have no idea how strong Shin and Kibito are and how useful they can be in battle."

"What's going on?" She gave him a suspicious look, crossing her arms. "Who are those guys and why was Piccolo with them?"

"I don't know, but I plan to find out."

Videl took a step forward. "Then I'm going with you."

He shook his head. He should've seen it coming, but he couldn't let Videl get so close to danger. Not after watching her get pummeled to the ground again and again, utterly helpless as Spopovitch tortured her with sick pleasure. His ki rose as the images flashed through his mind once more.

"No, you're not."

But the stubborn girl wasn't one to sit around and listen to reason. She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before he could protest any more.

"I said I'm going," she declared firmly, not seeming to care about the redness on her cheeks as she pressed her body against his.

Gohan, on the other hand, had a hard time focusing at all when Videl was so close to him. His heart rate rose and his face flushed completely, drops of sweat gathering on his forehead and temples. He swallowed, trying to get his bearings. Something urgent was going on; he couldn't let his mind wander when the whole universe was at stake. No matter how amazing it felt to have Videl's soft and curvy body all pressed up to him.

"This is a bad idea, Videl…" he said meekly, his breathing deepening. The girl responded by tightening her arms around his neck. Was she trying to _kill_ him?

"I'm _going_ , and that's final. Now hurry, we don't want to lose them."

Sighing in resignation, Gohan let a white aura surround them as he powered up. He secured Videl against him, holding her tight, and then his face hardened as he briefly searched for Piccolo's ki. And then he took off, letting his senses direct him.

He felt Videl bury her face in the crook of his neck to shield herself from the strong wind, and the boy failed to fight down a blush. Man, this was definitely not how he had intended to handle the situation when Videl turned up… But, at the same time, Gohan couldn't say he was surprised. That girl was just too stubborn for her own good. Didn't she realize how dangerous this could become? This wasn't some crime that she was used to dealing with on a daily basis. This was the whole universe in jeopardy, if Shin was to be trusted. Which Piccolo seemed to, so that was good enough for Gohan.

He sped up and caught up with the group.

"So, what is going on?" he asked.

"More of your friends are coming," Shin said to him over his shoulder, flying slightly ahead. "We'll tell you everything when they arrive."

"I see you brought your friend along," Piccolo observed. "Was that a smart move? She'll just get in the way."

"Hey, I resent that! I could be of help too!" Videl defended herself. Sure, she was aware that they were all way, _way_ stronger than her, but she could still contribute. She could be useful too!

"And I want to know what's going on," she continued.

Piccolo eyed the girl, a frown taking up his face, looking as though he wanted to ask her something. Videl rolled her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked bluntly, making his brow arches raise.

"People are usually more… intimidated by my appearance," the Namekian admitted.

Videl smirked. "You're not as scary as you think, I guess."

Gohan chuckled in amusement at her response. Piccolo smirked in turn, taking an instant liking to the bold girl.

Soon enough, all of the Earth's fighters joined them, even Vegeta. One shouldn't be that surprised by the Saiyan Prince's involvement, however, for the once bloodthirsty warrior had been quite bored in these past seven years of peace. Vegeta was eager for some action, so after sensing Gohan's ki skyrocket with rage a second time, he, as well as all the others, had gone on his way to where the things seemed to be happening.

Krillin, Yamcha, and even Tienshinhan joined the group. Chaozu had stayed behind, as usual, the small fighter no longer feeling like he could measure up to his friends.

"Tien!" Gohan exclaimed, his eyes lighting up when his old friend arrived. "It's been ages!"

"You certainly have grown," the three-eyed man commented with a kind smile. "Who's your… friend?" he then asked, glancing at the girl in Gohan's arms.

Much to Krillin's delight, the demi-Saiyan blushed and looked down. "This is Videl. She insisted on coming along and hung herself on me."

"Did she, now?" Krillin said, his tone full of innuendos. He snickered, making the teens blush brighter.

"Don't you get ideas, Krillin," Videl said defensively. "Gohan and I aren't like that."

The three friends shared a confused look. "Did I tell you my name?" Krillin wondered, scratching his hair.

"Anyway, Shin was waiting for you guys to join us to explain what's going on," Gohan cut in, deviating the discussion back to the current matter. "Everyone's here now, so you can tell us."

Shin eyed Spopovitch flying slightly ahead of them. He nodded gravely and began the tale of Bibidi, an evil wizard who created a monster to rule over the universe, destroying countless planets in his wake. Not even the Kaioshins had been able to stop them. And how Bibidi had a son, Babidi who intended to follow in his father's footsteps.

This didn't seem to impress Vegeta, who scoffed at the story. Shin looked at the Saiyan Prince over his shoulder and said, as though replying to a comment: "You're wrong, Vegeta. Any of us, the Kaioshins, could kill Freeza in one hit, and the monster that Bibidi created killed them all. I was the only one who managed to get away."

Vegeta gritted his teeth, also coming to the conclusion that Shin could read minds.

"So what's the monster's name?" Yamcha asked.

A grimace of repulsion distorted Shin's youthful features as he spat the name. "It's Majin Buu. It's the worst creature that ever came into existence."

Videl frowned as something tickled her brain. Memories of some of her dreams came back. She had heard that name before, she was sure of it. But it was slightly different… and it was a friend of her dad's. It was probably a coincidence. Although… Her dad's friend certainly didn't look human, what with the pink skin and the antenna and his weird attire, with the vest, the cape, and the puffy pants. But Mr. Buu wasn't evil, so he definitely didn't match Shin's description of the monster who had killed all of his comrades and countless more.

"Mr. Buu?" Shin echoed after her mind, and Videl frowned as the deity once again invaded her personal thoughts without permission. It was an unpleasant sensation, to have someone react to your private musing. "I'm sorry for the invasion, but this is important, Videl. I understand that you've seen the future in some of your dreams?"

"Huh, it was in your dreams?" Gohan asked, hearing of this detail for the first time.

She glared at Shin, who flew back to her and Gohan's level, focusing his attention on her.

"The way you've described this Mr. Buu in your mind, it matches Majin Buu exactly," Shin said, his face serious. "But you were thinking of how he was friends with your father, how he was good. Are you sure your visions are reliable?"

"Pretty sure, yeah. I know of everyone here from those visions," she replied, and despite the embarrassment that talking about her dreams brought along, a part of her was happy that she could be of use. _Take that, Piccolo._

"May I take a closer look?" Shin requested. "If you allow me, I can search in your mind for your memories of those visions, to see for myself if this is indeed Majin Buu that you're thinking about."

"Umm…" Videl hesitated as her face flushed. "Isn't there another way?"

"I understand your reluctance, but this is primordial, Videl." Shin turned to Kibito. "You go on with the others. They'll help you stop Babidi. I'll join you later. I have to know for sure."

Kibito nodded. Shin motioned to Gohan to stop, while the others kept flying ahead, still following Spopovitch's lead.

The demi-Saiyan didn't know what to think, but he followed Shin down to the earth nonetheless. They landed on a rocky desert, and it was with some regret that Gohan let go of Videl. It had been so nice, to feel her warmth, to have her so close. Oh, well. Videl couldn't fly so he would soon be obliged to serve as her chauffeur again anyway.

He glanced at Shin, who had most likely heard his thoughts, and a blush formed on his face while his hand rose and scratched his hair at the back of his head. But the Kaioshin didn't react to his embarrassing train of thought, which Gohan was grateful for.

"May I?" Shin requested from Videl, taking a step toward her while slowly raising his hands.

The girl gulped but nodded, knowing that this was bigger than her shame about what she might become in the future. Shin put his hands on her temples, his eyes falling shut.

Her breath hitched and her eyes widened as the deity summoned her memories, making her relive her dreams. He skimmed through them, searching for what he was looking for in particular, and it felt like pressing the forward button on the remote when you watched something on television.

And then it slowed down. Shin focused on the image of Mr. Buu from her visions.

"Is this him?" she asked.

"Yes. Without a doubt."

"Does that mean Buu doesn't have to be evil? That we don't have to fight him?"

"I… I'm not sure." Shin's eyebrows twitched, digging deeper into the ridge of his nose. "There's something… off. Something doesn't feel right about your visions."

"What does that mean?" Gohan asked, taking a step forward.

"I don't know. But the future you saw in your dreams…" Shin opened his eyes and locked them on the girl. "I'm not sure it's all true. The future you saw is… tainted, somehow. Which means the parts about this Mr. Buu could be false too."

Her lips parted. "Wh… What?"

"Can you fix it?" Gohan asked eagerly.

Videl turned to look at him, trying to process what she just heard. What did that mean? Which parts of her dreams had been correct and which parts weren't? Why had she gotten those visions in the first place, for that matter? And how could they not be reliable? She got the confirmation for everything that she learned about Gohan from those dreams. How could it have been wrong about anything?

Did that mean…? Could it be that she _wouldn't_ end up like the woman she had done everything in her power to never become?

Was that all for nothing? Did she break Gohan's heart for no good reason? And her own in the process? Was it really for nothing?

Or was that part actually true? How could she trust anything she had seen after finding out parts of her visions were false?

"I think so," Shin acquiesced, watching Videl intently. "Something has tainted those visions. I can't know for sure unless I try."

"Do it," the girl said earnestly. "If you can fix it, please do it. I want to know the truth."

Gohan stood by her. "Yeah. We need to know what it means."

Shin nodded, understanding what they truly wished for without having to read their minds again. From what he knew so far, those two were in love but Videl's visions had stopped them from being together. If what Videl feared would happen turned out not to be real, then that meant they could be together like they so desired.

But, more importantly, Shin had to know if Majin Buu would actually turn into the Mr. Buu from Videl's dreams. If Buu could actually become _good_ , as foreign as the mere thought felt to him.

And so, his hands still on the girl's temples, he got to work.


	17. Her True Destiny

Gohan watched silently while Shin had his hands on Videl’s temple. He wanted to ask if it was working, if they were able to see what was real and what wasn’t in the visions Videl had.

He couldn’t believe it, and the boy couldn’t help feeling hopeful. If the visions weren’t reliable, then maybe, just maybe, Videl wasn’t going to change because of their relationship, which never made any sense to him anyway. It had to be it. Gohan couldn’t imagine wanting Videl to be any different. She was perfect just the way she was.

And now, maybe he could actually be with her. Well, after this whole Babidi mess was over with, obviously. Still, it meant he had a chance. He could actually get together with the girl he loved. If this worked, if Shin managed to fix whatever had tainted Videl’s visions, if, indeed, that part of what she had foreseen wasn’t real and would never come true ━ he could finally and properly ask Videl out like he’d been wishing to, from the moment he realized he liked her.

It had to be it, right? It never made sense to him, because he would never want Videl to change. It had to be what was tainted.

And, maybe, hopefully, the part about Mr. Buu being Majin Buu was real. It would mean that they wouldn’t have to fight him, that they could make an ally out of him instead. If they could do it with Piccolo and Vegeta, both of which had wanted to respectively rule the world with fear and kill everyone on Earth, surely influencing Buu to be good was just as feasible. 

“This is going to take a while,” Shin said, his eyes still closed.

Gohan reached out with his senses to keep track of the others. They had stopped and remained still for now, probably assessing the situation. And then the demi-Saiyan scowled. Spopovitch’s impure ki separated from the group. Apparently he had kept his end of the deal and Kibito and the others were letting him go.

Gohan’s fists clenched, his blood still boiling with rage. He didn’t care what Shin had promised that monster: he was going to get back at him for what he did to Videl. The young warrior vowed to make that bastard pay.

“I’m sure the others can handle themselves,” Gohan said in reply, knowing that Shin implied that he should probably go and help his friends fight whatever Babidi was going to throw at them. “I’m pretty sure that Vegeta is stronger than me anyway.”

It wasn’t such a reassuring thought, putting the universe’s fate into the Saiyan Prince’s hands, but Gohan reminded himself that Vegeta wasn’t the same man who had landed on Earth many years ago. He had changed and even settled down with Bulma, taking his role as a Trunks’ father more than seriously. He truly cared about them, and Gohan believed that he even enjoyed the family life. Having people he cared about changed everything. It meant Vegeta wouldn’t be so rash, reckless or self-absorbed, because the slightest mistake could cost the lives of his family.

“Gohan,” came Videl’s nervous voice. Her eyes still closed, she reached out to him. “Can you hold my hand?”

He felt a warm glow in his chest. “Of course.”

He took her hand and held it firmly, feeling the familiar and intoxicating sparks ignite at the simple touch. She squeezed back, and a gentle smile formed on his lips. He rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand, trying to soothe her.

“It’s going to be alright, Videl,” he said, his voice full of hope.

She swallowed. “I just don’t get it. Why did I get those visions? And why would they be partly false? It makes no sense.”

“I’ll look into it after I’m done cleansing them,” Shin promised. “But it does appear that what you feared most isn’t going to come true. I can’t be a hundred percent sure however…”

Gohan felt his heart jolt in hope and excitement. He knew it! He just knew it! There was no way he would ever let Videl turn into something she didn’t like. He would never want her to change at all.

“I’m looking for the source of the problem so I can fix it but…” Shin’s brow furrowed further. “This is tricky. I’m doing the best I can, but it’s going to take a while.”

“It’s okay,” Gohan said, holding Videl’s hand firmly. “I’m sure the others can stop Babidi from releasing Buu without me.”

“Let’s hope so.”

“But even if they can’t, if Buu might become good like I saw in my dreams…” Videl offered.

“Indeed, it’s a possibility, as hard as I find it to believe,” Shin said. “Majin Buu has killed countless people, destroying entire planets, wreaking havoc across the whole universe and enjoying every minute of it…”

“Maybe he just needed a better role model,” Videl said. 

“Like your dad?” Gohan couldn’t help his mocking tone. Mr. Satan was hardly someone he would consider a good role model. But, despite his many flaws, Gohan also knew that he was a good man deep inside, and if he somehow managed to befriend Buu in the future, then he may have actually saved the world for real this time.

“Apparently,” Videl replied in amusement, obviously finding the concept as ridiculous as him. He gave her hand a squeeze.

He couldn’t wait to put this whole Babidi and Buu ordeal behind them. Because then, once everything was resolved and the universe was safe again, then, he would finally be able to ask Videl out.

* * *

The group was watching the top of Babidi’s spaceship from afar, staying out of sight on a rocky plateau. 

“So that was why we couldn’t find his ship,” Kibito realized. “It was hidden underground!”

“What are we waiting for?” Vegeta asked impatiently, cracking his knuckles. “I’m ready for some action.”

“We have to be careful,” Kibito said. “If we barge in, Buu might wake up from the shockwave. Even without his energy fully restored, his power would be monstrous.”

“Hmph, I’m sure he’s not all that,” the Saiyan Prince sneered.

“And if you’re wrong, you’d be putting Bulma and Trunks in danger,” Krillin cut in, knowing how to reason with Vegeta by now.

The Saiyan scoffed, but didn’t object further. Tien watched him in surprise. Unlike the others, he hadn’t been around for the past seven years, so he hadn’t witnessed the Prince change over time. It seemed that Vegeta truly cared for Bulma and Trunks, which wasn’t that hard to believe when Tien thought back to the way Vegeta reacted when Cell killed Future Trunks. Vegeta did care. He actually changed. While Tien would always have reservations about the Saiyan warrior, what with him being the reason he had died eleven years ago, the three-eyed fighter admitted that Vegeta could be a valuable ally.

As long as he didn’t pull another “let’s help the villain get stronger so that I can have more fun fighting them”, that is. 

The fact that simply telling Vegeta that Bulma and Trunks could be in danger if he didn’t behave proved that something like that was unlikely to happen again, however. So Tien decided to trust the Saiyan Prince, as much as he still resented him for ordering his and his friends’ deaths all those years ago.

“You said a shock could wake Buu up, right?” Yamcha asked Kibito, who nodded in response. “But what about just forcing the door open? Surely that wouldn’t be enough to release Buu from his cocoon, right?”

“Indeed,” Kibito agreed.

“Good,” Vegeta said. “Then let me do the honor.”

He didn’t wait for the others and flew toward the top of the ship, landing on the overturned earth. There was no doorknob. It was probably a sliding door.

His hand glowing with energy, Vegeta sliced through the alien metal. The others had joined him by the time he was done, creating an entrance without so much as a shake.

“Nice job,” Krillin complimented. 

“Are you sure you want to come along?” Vegeta remarked snidely, a cocky smirk curving his lips. “You’re probably gonna get yourself killed again, and Shenlong won’t be able to revive you this time, will he?”

“Maybe he’s right, Krillin,” Yamcha agreed. “You have a family now. You can’t risk your life recklessly.”

“You have a family?” Tien repeated in surprise.

Krillin blushed. “It’s a long story, but yes, I’m married and I have a daughter.”

“Wow. Congratulations, Krillin!” Tien mumbled, blinking at the shorter man.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and jumped through the hole to get inside the ship, not waiting around for the lot of them to catch up and waste any more time. Piccolo followed him wordlessly, and then Kibito went in.

The three Earthlings hesitated.

“What about you guys?” Krillin asked. “If you die again…”

“Porunga was the one to wish us back, remember?” Yamcha reminded his friend. “Shenlong could bring us back if we died. But not you.”

“We could always find New Namek though,” Krillin reasoned. “I mean, if I die, you guys could ask Shenlong to bring you there and wish me back with Porunga.”

“It’s settled then. We’re going in too,” Tien concluded, receiving nods in return. 

“We might not be relevant anymore,” Yamcha said as the three flew down the dark, circular, tube-like hallway, “but we can still help.”

“Yeah!” Krillin agreed with enthusiasm. “Like how Tien stopped Cell and gave 18 and 16 the time to escape! And my Kienzan is no joke, either.”

The three-eyed warrior smiled. While using the Kikoho was dangerous for his health and put his life at risk, he wouldn’t hesitate for a second to use it again if the need for it arose. It was a deathly technique that could hinder even someone immensely stronger than himself, and it was Tienshinhan’s best asset among Saiyans and Namekians and other kinds of aliens who had long outmatched him and his fellow Earthling fighters.

They landed in a circular room. The round door on the floor to get to the level below was closed. But there was a single door in the room, and it soon slid open, revealing an alien with an _M_ tattooed on his forehead. The back of his head was long, oval and white. He had no nose, no eyebrows, no pupils, the slits for his eyes glowing yellowish-green. The rest of his face was black, continuing down his neck, but a white, armor-like body covered the upper part of his torso, and it was hard to tell whether it was a suit or his actual skin. The lower part of his stomach was smooth and black, as was the rest of his body, but he was wearing white gloves and boots. Maybe the armor was a suit after all, but they couldn’t be sure.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Vegeta in his usual well-mannered way.

“I’m PuiPui, and I’m here to kill you.”

The Earth’s special force all rolled their eyes at the line. Another alien who underestimated the people of this planet, ignorant to the fact that the Earth inhabited powerful aliens as well as super-skilled martial artists.

“Master Babidi is on the last level, and he’ll send a fighter for every floor,” PuiPui explained, a cocky smirk on his ugly face. “Which means that your descent ends here, because I’m not letting you out of this level alive!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Vegeta said in a bored tone. “Piccolo, why don’t you take care of this pest? He’s so weak, he’s not even worth my time.”

“How very kind of you to offer,” Piccolo said, rolling his eyes. He stepped forward anyway.

“What, you plan to go one-on-one? Master Babidi didn’t tell me I would be dealing with idiots!” mocked the ignorant alien.

Piccolo attacked first, growing tired of the stupidity coming out of PuiPui’s mouth. He landed a powerful kick that sent the alien crashing onto the ceiling, rebounding against the wall before finally impacting on the ground with a loud thud.

“Easy!” Yamcha warned. “You could wake up Buu if you’re not more careful.”

Piccolo scoffed. “It’s not my fault he’s so weak.”

The room around them then faded out, and suddenly they found themselves on another planet. The gravity felt a lot heavier, but it was nothing either of the fighters couldn’t handle.

PuiPui laughed, claiming that they were done for. “This planet is ten times the gravity of the Earth! And I grew up here!”

Vegeta rolled his eyes so hard his pupils disappeared. “Only ten times? And that’s supposed to impress us? Piccolo doesn’t even need to take off his weighted clothes to deal with you. How pathetic.”

And, indeed, despite the planet’s gravity making his weighted cape and turban feel ten times heavier, it wasn’t hindering Piccolo in the least.

He had no time to waste, however, so he attacked PuiPui again, peppering him with hits. The alien fighter crashed into some boulder, making it explode, and Piccolo landed by the rubble, not waiting for his poor excuse of an opponent to get up. He grabbed PuiPui by the neck, holding him up. Then, he raised his spare hand and placed it on the alien’s stomach.

“Have fun in hell,” he said, before blasting the body to smithereens.

“Nice job, Piccolo!” Krillin cheered. 

The door on the ground, which came with them even when they were teleported to another planet, opened to the level below. The group went down the tube one by one.

“This feels like a video game,” Yamcha commented, mirth in his voice.

“A very lame game,” Vegeta said, causing Krillin and Yamcha to snicker. Tien rolled his eyes, while Piccolo and Kibito didn’t pay them any mind.

They landed in the level below, which was a room identical to the previous one. The single door soon opened, revealing a horrific monster. His body was distorted, his limbs lean but muscular; his upper body was bulging yet his skeleton was visible. He had claws on his pork-like feet and three-fingered hands, and he also had short claws on both of his forearms.

“Um, Piccolo, are you feeling this one?” Krillin asked nervously, taking a step back. “Or should Vegeta step in?”

“Why, don’t _you_ want a go at this thing?” Vegeta taunted the former monk. He smirked in satisfaction. “This one looks stronger. He might be a slight challenge. You don’t mind, do you, Piccolo?”

“Knock yourself out,” the Namekian replied, his arms crossed. “I had the first round. You can have this one.”

“Don’t underestimate Yakon!” Kibito warned the warriors. “He’s extremely powerful!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Vegeta waved him off as he stepped toward the horrific monster. “Hopefully he’s more of a challenge than that pathetic PuiPui guy.”

This time, their surroundings changed before the fight could begin. Obviously, Babidi didn’t want to risk waking up Buu too soon. Everything faded out, leaving the group in complete darkness.

They heard a sickening snicker they could only assume was Yakon’s. The monster attacked Vegeta, thinking he could catch him off guard in the dark, but the Saiyan warrior easily evaded the blow.

“Is that all you can do?” he taunted the creature. “I don’t need to see you to kick your ass, moron. Though I have to admit, not being able to see your ugly face is certainly a plus.”

Yakon growled angrily. The claws in his forearms extended as he slashed at Vegeta. But the Prince was too fast and dodged effortlessly. Yakon kept trying to hit him, again and again, and Vegeta easily evaded each of his attempts.

“I’m disappointed. I thought you would be more fun,” Vegeta taunted the monster, who snarled in rage and frustration as he failed to slash through the Saiyan yet again.

Growing tired of the fight, Vegeta turned Super Saiyan even though he didn’t need to. The others shielded their eyes at the sudden bright light.

“Now let’s see the fear in your eyes while I take the life out of them.”

But a moment later, the light was snuffed out. 

Vegeta smirked in the darkness. “Interesting. You feed on light,” he observed.

He turned Super Saiyan again, and Yakon opened his mouth once more, sucking in the light of the transformation. Vegeta didn’t let up, powering up as Yakon kept swallowing the light he created, even absorbing his energy in the process.

“So it’s like that, huh?”

Vegeta ascended, a shot of electricity surrounding the bright aura that Yakon was sucking in. The monster over-ate and exploded as a result, and Vegeta turned back to his normal form, a smirk of satisfaction on his lips.

The Earthling fighters lighted their hands with energy, creating light so they could find the door on the ground and get to the level below. It was open, as expected, and one by one they slid down inside, getting to the next room which was, once again, identical to the ones before.

“Hopefully the next fighter will be more of a challenge,” Vegeta said. “I’ve barely warmed up.”

Yamcha leaned closer to Krillin and Tien and whispered, “I have to admit, I don’t hate having Vegeta on our side.”

His two friends nodded in agreement. 

The next fighter didn’t appear immediately. Vegeta tapped his foot impatiently, his arms crossed as he kept his eyes glued to the door, willing it to open and show his next opponent. He was sure Piccolo wouldn’t mind letting him fight again. It was unlikely that the Namekian would be strong enough to face the next enemy, as they steadily grew in strength the lower they got in the spaceship. Vegeta wasn’t sure Piccolo could’ve killed Yakon that easily, though he doubted that the monster surpassed the Namekian if he fought seriously.

“Well? Are you out of fighters already?” Vegeta called out, not doubting that Babidi was watching them in some way and could hear him. 

But the door finally slid open. Kibito gasped in horror, his eyes bulging out. The Earthlings backed away at the strong reaction, their senses telling them that this enemy was ways above the previous fighters.

“Congratulations on defeating Yakon and making it to level three. Alas, your journey will end here,” the newcomer said. He looked like the devil himself, with horns on his head, reddish skin, and a goatee. He was dressed in a fancy blue and white attire, with puffy sleeves and bottoms as well as a tall collar and a long cape.

“This is Dabura! The Lord of Darkness!” Kibito sputtered in shock, stepping back in fear.

“The Lord of Darkness?” Tien asked, glancing at the white-haired man out of the corner of his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“He’s the King of the Demon Realm,” Kibito explained. “He’s the strongest being from his world. Do not underestimate him,” he told Vegeta in a warning tone.

But the Saiyan Prince scoffed. “Yeah, right. You said the same thing on each level, and yet we outpowered Babidi’s fighters easily. I’m starting to think this Buu is going to be a joke too.”

“In that case, why don’t you give us your energy so we can revive him?” Dabura suggested with a smirk. “Then you’d finally have an opponent worthy of your time.”

“Tch, don’t mock me,” Vegeta scoffed. “Let’s see if Kibito is right to be so scared of you.”

On cue, the scenery around them changed once more, and the group was transported to a wasteland of a planet ━ the perfect place for a violent battle.

Vegeta went Super Saiyan, sensing that his opponent was indeed much stronger than the previous fighters. He smirked. Finally, a challenge. After seven years of boredom, even if, as much as he hated to admit it, he did enjoy the family life, the Saiyan warrior was long overdue for some real action.

* * *

While four of the contestants were nowhere to be found, the show must go on, so it was decided that Yamu, Spopovitch, Shin, and Kibito had forfeited their fights since they didn’t show up when their names were called.

It was quite lucky for Mr. Satan, to say the least. Even when Yamu regained consciousness, he decided that his best option was to flee, because he had no doubt that Master Babidi would blame him for Spopovitch’s betrayal.

And so, with those four out of the way, Mr. Satan was the favorite to win the championship once again. Not that he was aware that he could have lost, for the man truly believed he was the strongest man alive. Years of deceiving the world made him believe his own lies.

He won his fights fair and square, one after the other. His fans were wild, cheering him on as loudly as they could, acclaiming their hero. He faced up Punta in the last round, and while the heavy challenger had put up a good fight, showing he deserved his spot in the final round, Mr. Satan still managed to throw him out of the ring.

And thus, he was proclaimed the world champion once more, proving that nobody could beat him. The Tenkaichi Budokai ended with applause and ecstatic cheers as the unbeaten champion stood proudly in the middle of the ring.

Not that he needed the extra ten million zeni, but the prize money was still a great addition to his wealth. He should get something nice for his daughter. Maybe the newest jet copter model? A red one this time, to make it pop more. She would like new training equipment too.

Where _was_ Videl anyway? He hadn’t seen her since she left the infirmary to get cleaned up. A scowl formed on the world champion’s face as an unpleasant thought came to his mind. She better not be hanging around that scrawny boy. Who did he think he was, just turning up and hugging Videl like that was okay? Yes, Mr. Satan was grateful to him for healing his daughter with his weird bean thingy, but that didn’t give him the right to lay his hands on his little girl!

And what about Spopovitch? Did that kid actually get to him and somehow beat him up like he had said he would? That little wimp? Seriously? When even Videl, who was almost as strong as the champ himself, had lost to Spopovitch? And what about the other fighters who just dropped out of the competition for some reason? What the hell happened there?

Mr. Satan sighed as he got to his personal lodge. Oh, well. What mattered was that he had won again. Videl should turn out soon enough, and she was going to be so proud of him. He won fair and square. Even though she found out the truth about the Cell Games, he was still the world champion, and nothing could take that away from him.

He sat in his chair, frowning at his reflection in the mirror. Mr. Satan admitted to himself that his daughter did have her chances at beating him. Videl was immensely talented, she _was_ his daughter after all, and she had been getting so strong in the past years. He had seen her easily beat criminals who were several times her size ━ which made her loss against Spopovitch all the more confusing.

He had beaten Spopovitch himself in the last tournament, and the fighter, while huge and definitely strong, had lacked finesse and skills, and it had been a pretty easy win back then. How was Spopovitch able to overpower Videl and put her in such a horrible state? It didn’t make any sense.

If he ever got his hands on that bastard, though… Mr. Satan shook with rage just thinking of how hurt Videl had been because of that monster.

And a part of him did hope that kid had pummeled Spopovitch, if anything. Someone ought to teach that poor excuse of a man the concept of sportsmanship. Tournament rules needed to be more strict about that kind of behavior. It was unacceptable that anyone should get that violent and sadistic in the ring. Someone should’ve stopped the fight before it got that far. Videl shouldn’t have gotten so horribly hurt.

His poor little girl… Yes, he was grateful to that kid, indeed. She had been in such a state… How could this happen? Videl was so strong. Just how much stronger could Spopovitch have gotten in the past seven years? 

Stroking his unshaved face, Mr. Satan sat there in thought. He got hungry after a while and ordered some food to his lodge, not feeling like getting out and mingling with his fans right now. He was too worried about Videl and just wasn’t in the mood for that now. He hoped she was going to turn up soon. He had a bad feeling. Videl should’ve been back already. Where the hell was his daughter?

* * *

“I think I’m getting close,” Shin said, his eyes still closed, his brow deeply furrowed in concentration while his hands were still touching Videl’s temples. “I found where the stain came from. It’s your fears, Videl. Your fears were used to distort the future you saw.”

The girl could barely believe it. Shin had been fixing her visions, slowly cleansing them from the false reality she thought would be real. She was seeing her true future now, the visions changing, showing another life. A better life. A perfect life, really.

She wasn’t going to lose her fire, to lose herself in her marriage with Gohan. That part was all lies. She was still herself, and they were so happy together. She would also have a career, setting herself on the path of eventually becoming the police commissioner of Satan City. Gohan would become a scientist and researcher, and they would raise their kids together, often getting help from Piccolo or either of their parents when they were busy, or when they simply wanted to have a night out.

Her life was supposed to turn out pretty much perfect. Her career, her family, her marriage. She was meant to have it all. And be a badass while she was at it.

Videl was confused. Why were her visions tainted? Why did they make her believe she would become that dreadful woman who was only defined by her love for her husband?

She opened her eyes and glanced to her right, where Gohan was standing, still holding her hand, smiling that handsome smile at her that never failed to make her melt. For some reason, her dreams had made her think she would be doomed if she ever got together with Gohan. That had to be the reason behind her false visions. To push her and Gohan apart.

But why? Or, rather… who? Was someone responsible for this mess? Who would do something like that? Who would want to take away the perfect life that was destined for her?

Videl’s eyes fell shut again as a frown took up her features.

Could it be someone she had helped put away? Some scum who wanted revenge on her? It would make sense. She had been helping the police fight crime for over a year now, so she was bound to make enemies in that line of work. She could think of tons of bad guys who would want to make her miserable out of spite. But who among them did it? Who had the power to give her those false visions that pushed her to reject the potential love of her life?

“We’ll get to that after we take care of Buu,” Shin replied to her silent questions. She still disliked it when he did that, but Videl was starting to get used to it.

“Get to what?” Gohan asked.

“To find out what, or rather, to who gave Videl those false visions. Videl thinks it might be someone that she had locked up seeking revenge.”

“Oh,” the boy said, a frown slowly taking up his traits. “Yeah. I’d like to know also.”

“The parts about Mr. Buu seem real, though,” Videl commented.

“Yes, indeed. I’m almost done cleansing all of the dreams you had, but it does seem that Mr. Buu indeed becomes good, somehow,” Shin said thoughtfully, still doubtful despite seeing the truth in his very mind.

“Doesn’t seem like Buu will get a chance to be released though,” Gohan mused, looking far ahead into the sky, in the direction where he’d last sensed the group, supposedly in Babidi’s spaceship. “So maybe it’s not going to matter whether Buu can be good.”

Somehow, their kis kept disappearing and reappearing, as though they were being teleported off the planet. And then their adversary, who would have left with them, would not be returning with the group, meaning that the enemy got killed in the time they were away. 

While Gohan couldn’t sense the current battle, he had felt the ki of Vegeta’s opponent, and even though the guy was certainly much stronger than the previous fighters that Babidi sent at the group, Gohan surmised that he wasn’t even at Cell’s level. And Vegeta had long since surpassed Cell, so, really, this shouldn’t take much longer. Unless Babidi had another, even stronger fighter to send at Vegeta, but Gohan doubted it. The gap of power between the last guy and the one before that was _huge_ , meaning that Babidi was getting desperate and had sent his best fighter to finish the job. But Vegeta would take care of that guy, Gohan was confident. The Saiyan Prince had been training like a madman in the last seven years. While Gohan lay back and enjoyed the peaceful times, Vegeta focused on getting stronger, and the demi-Saiyan was pretty sure the Prince had surpassed him. 

Maybe if he had kept training more frequently since the Cell Games, he could still have measured up to Vegeta, and maybe if he focused more on his training from now on, he could catch up to the Prince and even surpass him again eventually. In the meantime, Vegeta was the strongest being in the universe. Which was fine with him, to be honest. While the Saiyan warrior wouldn’t be his first choice to protect the planet, he did care about Bulma and Trunks, and that was enough to keep him from straying from their common goal to protect the world. Well, Vegeta only cared about protecting his family, really, but that was still progress.

“Almost done…” Shin muttered, his eyebrows twitching as his focus never wavered. 

Gohan’s heart jolted in excitement. He gave Videl’s hand a squeeze, and she gave one back. This was it. Shin would soon finish cleansing Videl’s visions, and they would then go to stop Babidi once and for all. And then, Gohan would finally be able to officially become Videl’s boyfriend.

He was giddy at the thought. To think they never had anything to fear! He did want to know why and who was the cause of this mess. Gohan frowned. That person had caused him and Videl so much pain and emotional torture. It was such a sadistic way to get revenge on someone. Who would do something so cruel?

* * *

Vegeta smirked. Dabura wasn’t like the others. He was actually stronger than he had initially thought, proving to be more than a challenge. But the Saiyan Prince knew he was the superior warrior. He was just having too much fun to end this fight too quickly.

“Vegeta, quit playing around and finish him off already!” Piccolo called to him from the ground, his voice laced with impatience.

“I take no order from you, Namekian,” Vegeta scoffed in response. “It’s not like I could lose against this guy anyway. Let me have my fun. It’s been too long since I had a good fight.”

“Tch.” Piccolo glared at the Prince from down below, cursing his own inability to finish off Dabura himself. Alas, the King of the Demon Realm was closer to Vegeta’s level than Piccolo ever got, even as hard as he’d been training since the Cell Games. Saiyans and their natural advantage in getting stronger. So unfair.

“You are quite the extraordinary fighter, I must say,” Dabura complimented his opponent, his tone extremely polite in an unsettling way.

“Hmph, you’ve seen nothing yet,” Vegeta taunted.

“Oh, is that so?” Dabura queried. “Why don’t you show me, then?”

The Prince gave a cocky smirk. “Are you sure? You’re gonna regret asking me this.”

“Then don’t let me die ignorant,” Dabura replied, not an ounce of sarcasm in his tone.

“This feels like a trap,” Piccolo muttered.

Kibito glanced at the Namekian in worry. “You’re right. Vegeta!” he called at the Prince in the orange sky. “It’s most likely a trap! Don’t fall for it!”

Vegeta scoffed. “And what’s he gonna do once I ascend? Drown me in his tears of fear?”

“Indeed,” Dabura confirmed. “You are clearly the superior warrior. I merely want to witness the extent of your power out of curiosity.”

“See?” Vegeta called to the ground where the group of fighters stood to watch the battle. “Even he knows he’s done for. Wouldn’t I be heartless to deny him his dying wish?”

Piccolo gritted his teeth. This was a trap. How could Vegeta let that demon fool him? Couldn’t he see that Dabura definitely had something up his sleeve? Why couldn’t he learn from his past mistakes already? Vegeta always got overconfident when he clearly surpassed his adversary, and then he would get prone to making poor choices, usually leading to his own downfall. Couldn’t that damn Saiyan finally realize when he was getting played?

Vegeta clenched his fists, his legs apart as his ki increased. And then he yelled and his power skyrocketed. His golden hair became thinner, more defined, his muscles bulged, veins becoming visible on his body, and bolts of lightning danced around him as his golden aura shone brighter than ever.

His power was monstrous, that was for sure. He had even surpassed Gohan’s level against Cell. Dabura’s ki was nothing in comparison.

Piccolo’s fists clenched tighter. What was that demon planning? Why did he coerce Vegeta into powering up to his maximum? What was his goal here?

A sinister smirk curled Dabura’s lips. He then turned to the group on the ground and spat several times in their direction. Piccolo shoved Kibito out of the way out of instinct, but Krillin got touched and started to turn into stone. The others watched in horror. Vegeta frowned at the turn of events. Tien pushed Yamcha out of the saliva projectile, but soon turned into stone as well.

“What the hell! Vegeta, do something!” Yamcha yelled in distress.

But Dabura has phased out of sight. 

“What the…?” Vegeta started saying, and then the demon reappeared behind him and wrapped his long limbs around the Ascended Super Saiyan, immobilizing him with his poisonous fingernails, digging them into Vegeta’s skin, preventing the Prince from trying to break free from the vice-like grip. 

Damn it, he couldn’t move! That two-faced scum! What was he going to do to him now?

No sooner than the thought left his mind that an odd, oval item with a long and pointy tip appeared in the demon’s hand. The same _M_ that was tattooed on his forehead was marked on the object.

And then he shoved the pointy tip through Vegeta’s side, breaking the skin. His eyes widening, Vegeta felt his energy being drained. Soon he felt himself grow weaker, his strength leaving him and going directly into the ki-absorber.

“No!”

Piccolo quickly got rid of his weighted clothes and powered up. Yamcha and Kibito did the same, preparing a combined attack. They had to stop Dabura from stealing Vegeta’s energy, somehow, some way. They had to do something! This could mean the release of Majin Buu!

With a guttural yell, the three remaining fighters shot a joined, humongous ki-blast at Dabura’s back. But the demon wasn’t even phased by the attack.

“Aim at the ki-absorber!” Kibito commanded.

They did, again and again, but Dabura’s grip on the item didn’t lessen. Vegeta’s hair turned back to jet-black.

“Damn it! This can’t be happening!” Kibito cried out in frustration as he and the two other fighters kept shooting ki-blasts at Dabura.

“Kaioken!” Yamcha yelled, multiplying his ki by several dozens of times, uncaring of the noxious effect it would have on his body. But his attacks still had no effect on the demon.

And then Dabura let go of Vegeta, who dropped to the ground. Piccolo dove to catch him. At the same time, the scenery around them changed once more, bringing them back to Babidi’s ship. Dabura quickly left through the single door in the circular room, throwing a polite, “Thank you for your help,” over his shoulder before the door slid shut behind him.

“Shit!” Yamcha cursed angrily, panting heavily, his whole body feeling like one big bruise.

“Piccolo, get Vegeta to me, I can heal him,” Kibito commanded.

Piccolo lay the Saiyan Prince on the floor and Kibito crouched down, putting his hands over his chest. They started glowing, and soon, the color came back on Vegeta’s skin.

“Can’t you go any faster?” Yamcha asked impatiently. 

“Do you realize how much power I have to restore? How much energy Dabura took from him?” Kibito snapped back.

“Sorry…” Yamcha sighed, glancing at his friends who were now stone statues. “Can you do anything for them?”

“No, that is beyond my power,” Kibito replied. “The only way to turn them back to normal is to kill Dabura.”

At that moment, Vegeta’s eyes snapped open. Kibito stood and stepped back, giving the Prince the room to get to his feet.

“So I only have to kill that two-faced bastard?” Vegeta asked for confirmation. “Well, should be easy enough.”

“Because it went so well the first time,” Piccolo retorted, his voice filled with sarcasm. “We told you it was a trap, but what did you do? You let your arrogance get to your head again. You just never learn, do you?”

“Would you like a taste of my arrogance, you overgrown pickle?” Vegeta snarled angrily.

“Hey, now, this isn’t the time,” Yamcha said, getting in between the arguing warriors with his arms raised, trying to calm things down. He winced slightly as his body protested painfully. That Kaioken times fifty might have been too much for him.

“Let’s hurry,” Kibito agreed.

“Fine,” Vegeta grunted. “But next time you won’t get so lucky, Namekian.”

“Tch. Says the man who can’t even reach the top shelves,” Piccolo bit back snidely.

A vein pulsed visibly on Vegeta’s temple, his fists clenching tightly as he scowled at the tall green man.

“I can _fly_ , you dolt.”

“Good thing, too, because otherwise you’d never be able to get your favorite snacks in the top cabinets, now would you?”

“Why you…!”

“Enough!” Yamcha snapped. “My body hurts like hell and Dabura just got a hold of your energy, Vegeta! You and Piccolo can settle scores _after_ we’ve stopped him and Babidi from releasing Buu into the world!”

“Indeed. We cannot let that happen,” Kibito agreed. He then stepped closer to Yamcha and put his hand on his shoulder, the glow healing the scar-faced man.

“Thank you,” Yamcha said with a sigh of relief.

“Now let’s go,” Kibito said. “We have to stop Babidi at all costs. Buu is a monster, and you can’t even begin to imagine just how powerful he is.” 

“Tch. I still think you’re underestimating me,” Vegeta said in arrogance. “I bet I could take that Buu just as easily as that Dabura.”

“Yet you still got your energy stolen,” Piccolo reminded him sourly.

“Enough already!” Yamcha stopped them again. “We’re wasting time!”

At that moment, the door on the floor opened, allowing them to get to Babidi without having to break through the lower levels.

“Babidi doesn’t want us to wake Buu too soon,” Piccolo observed darkly as the four flew down the remaining levels.

They got to the lowest level. An ugly and tiny creature who had to be Babidi was with Dabura, both standing by a giant red egg that was covered with what looked like veins. Yikes. 

“I have to thank you for your energy,” Babidi said, his high-pitched voice as grating as his appearance. He looked like an insect. “Buu is very close to hatching now.”

“Babidi, you monster,” Kibito gritted out.

“Where is Kaioshin?” the insect-like creature asked in curiosity. “I was hoping to kill him with my bare hands and avenge the death of my father.”

“Not important,” Vegeta said, before powering up in an instant and shooting a devastating ki-blast at Dabura, obliterating the demon before he could realize what was happening. 

Babidi stared in shock at the spot where Dabura was standing just moments ago, now replaced by smoke and a pile of ashes.

“You… You…”

“It’s over, Babidi,” Piccolo said darkly. “You’ve lost. Now step away from the cocoon.”

The ugly creature gritted his teeth in anger. “Paparappa!” he suddenly shouted, waving his hands in the air, and their surroundings changed once more. Babidi had teleported them outside of the spaceship, the giant egg as well. He hadn’t forgotten Krillin and Tienshinhan either; he didn’t want to risk leaving any of them in his ship.

“Guys! You’re back to normal!” Yamcha exclaimed in relief. Krillin and Tien looked around in confusion, not quite caught up with what had been happening.

“What now?” Vegeta asked, ignoring the reunion going on behind him, focusing his attention on Babidi. “You’re cornered and you know it.”

“I didn’t want it to come to this, but you lot have left me with no other choice…”

Piccolo reacted quickly, unwilling to give the wizard the time to do another spell, but Babidi yelled, “SHIELD!” and a ball of protection appeared around him just as Piccolo tried to slice through his being with a deadly chop. He hit the shield instead, getting zapped with bolts of electricity for his efforts.

He took a step back and rubbed the side of his hand while glaring darkly at the tiny ugly creature.

And then Babidi turned to the pulsing cocoon and recited a spell, gesticulating wildly with his arms.

“No! He’s letting Buu out!” Kibito exclaimed in panic.

“But he’s not fully charged yet!” Yamcha cried out in response.

“It’s his only chance now that his best fighter just got killed!” Kibito said.

“We have to do something!” Krillin said, fear making his voice tremble.

“Let’s give it everything we got!” Tien said. “Maybe we can kill Buu before he gets out!”

“Tch. Like I need maggots like you,” Vegeta scoffed at them.

“Not the time, Vegeta!” Krillin berated the Saiyan. “Let’s do this!”

“Pff, fine.”

He ascended to the level beyond the Super Saiyan, while everyone else powered up to their maximum as well. They all gathered as much ki as possible, getting ready to strike Buu’s fuming prison in hopes of killing the monster inside before he could get out.

Letting out a scream in unison, the warriors released their energy, giving it everything they had, while Tien shot a Kihoho, knowing it was his best attack and their best chance at getting Buu. The blast hit the cocoon and threw it high into the air, before it landed with a loud thud onto the ground. Still protected in his shield, Babidi floated closer to the giant egg as it split in two.

It was empty. There was nothing in the cocoon. Babidi cried in desperation, while Yamcha, Krillin, Tien and Kibito cheered at their victory.

“We did it! Buu is gone!” Krillin exclaimed. “We saved the world!”

“Who said we weren’t useful, huh?” Yamcha said with a sense of satisfaction. Finally, they actually played a role in saving the day. They were still relevant, even as much stronger as the Saiyans and Piccolo got over the years.

“Good job, all of you,” Kibito said gratefully. “I can’t believe it’s finally over.”

“You fools,” Vegeta gritted out. “Have you forgotten how to sense ki? Look up, you dimwits!”

They did, and so did Babidi. A pink cloud of smoke was slowly taking form. 

“No…” Kibito breathed out in horror, recognizing the shape of the evil monster.

Vegeta powered up even further, his aura shining brighter than ever as bolts of electricity slithered around him. He smirked.

“I guess this is when the real fun begins…”

* * *

“This doesn’t feel good…” Gohan said, holding Videl against him as he flew alongside Shin to get to Babidi’s ship.

“Buu… It’s Buu… They failed to stop Babidi,” Shin mumbled in horror as the traumatizing and familiar ki invaded his senses.

“But it’ll be alright, won’t it?” Videl offered. “I mean, we now know that we can influence Buu to be good. You guys don’t need to fight him. We just need to convince Buu not to listen to Babidi anymore. He was like a big child in my visions… He just needs to be pushed in the right direction.”

Shin still gave a shudder at the feeling of the astronomical energy. “I guess so. I do hope we can do it…”

“Maybe we should bring Videl’s father? He’s the one who befriends Buu, right?” Gohan suggested.

“Not a bad idea,” Shin said, nodding thoughtfully. “I could tell Kibito to go get him. He can teleport.”

“That’ll come in handy,” Gohan commented.

“Well, hurry up, then! We have to get to Buu before Vegeta pisses him off!” Videl said in a bossy tone. Gohan cracked a smile at her words. It was a good guess that Vegeta would get Buu mad if he was left with him long enough. The Saiyan Prince had a knack for pushing anyone’s buttons if given the time.

“Then I’ll go ahead, alright?” Gohan said to Shin. Tightening his hold on Videl, he turned Super Saiyan. “I’ll try to calm Buu down and we’ll tell Kibito to go find Videl’s dad.”

“Okay. Don’t wait for me and go,” Shin agreed.

With a serious nod, Gohan looked ahead of him and sped up, soaring through the sky at breakneck speed. Videl’s arms tightened around him while she buried her face in the crook of his neck to shield herself from the strong wind.

“We’re almost there,” he told her, speaking up to be heard over the wind. He didn’t really like the idea of putting Videl right in the middle of danger, but she was probably the one who knew best how to talk to Buu and persuade him to turn against Babidi, ending this whole ordeal once and for all without having to kill Buu. 

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, as though she had read his mind.

“Trying to sound like Master Kaioshin?” he asked her in a joking tone. Videl laughed slightly.

“I know you’re worried about me, but you don’t have to,” she said. “We can do this. We can convince Buu to be good. And then we’ll only have to get rid of Babidi.”

“Yeah, I hope it works.”

“It will!”

They smiled at each other. And then Gohan saw the raging battle from afar. “Well, we’re here. I’m going to stop the fight. You stay with the others, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Gohan landed by his friends, who welcomed him with great relief.

“Thank god you’re back, finally!” Krillin exclaimed. “I don’t like trusting _Vegeta_ with the fate of the universe.”

“Preach,” Yamcha agreed.

Gohan let go of Videl and put his hands on her shoulders, his teal eyes serious as they pierced through hers. “Explain everything to them, okay? To Kibito, especially.”

She nodded to show she understood what he meant, remembering what they agreed on with Shin earlier. 

His throat tightened as the irrepressible urge to kiss her suddenly took over him. His heart raced while his gaze lowered to her full, cherry lips. He swallowed, his face burning red. 

Videl bit her lip and looked away with a blush, maybe guessing what was on his mind. Gohan turned away and looked up at the sky where Vegeta and Buu were fighting, his eyes narrowing as he forced his mind to focus on his mission. He gritted his teeth and yelled as he ascended beyond Super Saiyan, the power of his electric aura pushing the others a few steps back.

“Be right back,” he said, before taking off to the sky, right into the middle of the raging battle. And fully intending to put an end to it.

Videl let out a long breath and rubbed the back of her neck, trying to regain her bearings. She had seen the way Gohan had looked at her, and for a moment she really thought he was going to kiss her.

Not that she would have minded… 

“What is it you have to tell me?” Kibito asked, bringing her out of her musing.

She turned to the tall, wrinkly, pink-skinned, white-haired man. Right. There was a crisis going on. Her love life could wait. 

Time to put their plan into action. 


End file.
